Misery Loves Company
by A Warrior's Prophet
Summary: Two former rangers are currently miserable in their lives. For Adam, love has betrayed him. In Tommy's case, physical pain has become a constant companion. Can they help each other overcome their misery? AU, Slash
1. Reconnecting

**Misery Loves Company**

**by**

**A Warrior's Prophet**

**Disclaimers****:** Standard disclaimers apply—Power Rangers are the property of Saban/Disney. Any characters you don't recognize are from our imaginations. No money has been made . . . blah, blah, blah.

**Summary****:** Two former rangers are currently miserable in their lives. For Adam, love has betrayed him. In Tommy's case, physical pain has become a constant companion. Can they help each other overcome their misery? Set 3 years after DinoThunder, AU, Slash

**Author's Notes****:** Okay, this is it! The big team-up between prophet144 and Be A Warrior Casseau!

**Chapter 1—Reconnecting**

God, will the paperwork ever end?! I've been sitting here filling out these moronic forms for an hour now. Is this why I became a teacher? Grumbling to myself, I glance at the corner of my classroom desk and spy the monumental stack of term papers that I have to start grading this weekend if I want to have any hope of finishing before the end of the semester.

Peace and quiet, that's what you wanted. Just a little peace and quiet. Yeah, but not mind-numbing tedium. Love the kids, hate the paperwork. I prop my head on one hand and remove my glasses with the other. Rubbing the bridge of my nose where the damn things have been pinching, I wonder again why I'm putting off the Lasik surgery. I wouldn't be wearing them at all if not for that freakin' accident . . .

My mind starts wandering back to a day just over 10 years ago. A day that I remember very little about, but it changed the course of my life. That race in Sonoma was the last of my short-lived racing career. Still photos start flashing through my mind like a slideshow. It's the extent of my recollections of that day . . . actually, of that _week_: myself in the mirror before going to the drivers' meeting, the car itself, Uncle John's face as he told me to be careful and have a good race, Jason's face as he told me the same thing, the green flag, some of the other cars . . . and then things get real fuzzy. Hard contact to the rear of the car—I can't control it—more contact to the side of the car throws me around violently—I see smoke and hear screeching tires—I see the wall coming up fast . . **.**

The memories that come next are terribly hard to deal with . . . if not for Jase . . .I don't know what . . . a cold chill runs up my spine even as a strong vibration comes from the general area of my waist—it jars me from my thoughts. I shake my head to clear it and look down in the direction of my cell phone. I guess I forgot to turn the ringer back on after class ended over an hour ago. Pulling it out of the hipcase, I can't help but notice that my hand is shaking. I glance at the display--don't recognize that number. I'll just let it go to voicemail. I put the phone down on the desk and go back to resting my strained eyes. I gotta think about something else. A couple of minutes later I'm up pacing across the front of the classroom, massaging my stiff lower back. Man, this hurts. The meds are wearing off too fast, but there's only so much I can take and still be able to teach.

Staring out the window, I briefly watch the soccer team warming up down on the field. What was said this morning at the staff meeting concerning them? I search my admittedly leaky memory for a minute. Oh yeah, Coach Gibson is leaving at the end of the school year and the board is looking for a replacement. I hear my phone go off again. Popular this afternoon, aren't I? As I pick it up, I see that it's the same number as before. Oh well . . . what the hell . . .

"Dr. Oliver," I answer.

"Hey Dr. O—you finally answered! I thought I was gonna have to come over there and rough you up!"

Familiar voice . . . familiar voice . . .

"Kira?"

"Yep. You sound surprised. I told you I'd call when I got back from the mission."

"So it's over . . . how'd it go? Everybody okay?"

"Oh yeah—things went great. It wasn't exactly a piece of cake, but we did pretty well. Especially since we'd never worked together before. How are you—you doin' okay?"

She's overprotective. "I'm okay—don't worry. What about Hartford? Is he as competent as he seems?"

"I do worry and you know it. As for Mr. Hartford, yeah, the man's a certified genius. 'Course he's no Dr. O—science teacher extraordinaire, living legend, and Grade 'A' hottie."

"Kira . . ."

"What?! You're not my teacher anymore and I _am_ an adult, remember? Just statin' the obvious . . ." Somethin' else is obvious from that statement, but I'm not bringing it up now. I can hear her grinning through the phone.

"You're sweet." I hope she can't hear me blushing.

"Anyway, I ran into one of your old friends—he was on the team that the Sentinel Knight put together. You could've knocked me over with a feather when I saw the uniform of the original team."

"Original team? Really? Who?" Jase, Rocky, Adam . . . Billy? No, wasn't Jase—I just talked to him.

"Yep—he's an awesome fighter and a really nice guy. Couldn't get used to me calling you 'Doctor'!"

"You gonna tell me who it is or do I have to guess?" She's playin' with me.

"Ummm . . . well, let's see—cutie pie, dark-haired, about your age—it's amazing you guys can still fight . . ."

"Hey! Us old guys can outdo you anytime . . ."

"Uh huh . . . okay." She stops and giggles. "Sorry—you know I gotta give you a hard time."

"I know, I know. So tell me already—the hints you gave could be anybody."

"Adam Park—said he'd just recently moved back to Angel Grove."

"Adam?!" I can't hide the excitement in my voice. Jase had told me that he was back on this coast, but I hadn't had a chance to go visit him yet. I haven't seen him in years.

I can tell she's grinning as she says, "That's right—in the flesh. I hope you don't mind, but I gave him your number. He said he had it at home, but he didn't bring it with him—guess he wanted to put it into his cell. Anyway, he said he was going to get in touch with you soon. He hasn't called already, has he?"

"No, not yet. Thanks for doing that, though—I'd love to talk to him. He's been on the east coast for years and we kinda lost touch."

"That's what he said. Should be calling you soon, I guess."

"Awesome. Thanks, Kira. So, you gonna stop by and see your old teacher sometime soon? I'd love to hear about the mission."

"Absolutely. I'd love that. I'll call you once I get settled and we'll set something up, deal?"

"Deal. Take care of yourself, Sweetie."

"I will—you too. Bye."

I close the phone and put it back in its case on my belt. Adam Park—Frogboy himself. Damn, I haven't seen him since right after college. Wonder what he's been up to.

I look back at my desk and remember the paperwork. I move back over to my desk, determined to get this crap for the school board finished and get the hell outta here. It's getting late and I just wanna go home, have dinner and a couple of drinks . . . maybe more.

_______________________

Flopping onto the new overstuffed couch and putting my feet up on the equally new coffee table, I pour myself another long drink. Now that I don't have teenagers all over my house all the time, I was finally able to refurnish the living room with some nice stuff.

Yep—great new furniture, no one eating all my food anymore, all that great peace and quiet that I wanted, no monsters to fight . . . just me and . . . well, just me and . . . whichever bottle I choose out of the liquor cabinet. I drink too much these days—I know it—no denying it. It started out helping me relax. Then it was to help ease the pain in my back and legs. The last time my powers were ripped away it really did a number on my body. Now . . . I'm not sure. But hey, there's no one around to give me flack about it, so . . . I turn up the glass and finish off my fifth drink of the night, loving the familiar burn in my throat.

Damn, I gotta start on those term papers. I slowly push myself up and woozily make my way to the table where I dropped my briefcase. Pulling out part of the thick stack, I choose a couple that I'm fairly sure will be easy to grade. Now, where's my glasses?

Three hours later, a loud noise from the TV jars me from my dream. I open my eyes, finding myself on the couch covered in essays, red pens, and remote controls. Why do I have four different remotes?

I attempt to sit up and straighten things out, but my body doesn't want to cooperate. Shit . . . I'm gettin' old. I feel 30 years older than I am. I massage my back for a couple of minutes and stretch a bit. Finally able to get up, I clean up a little and head for bed. One more day till the weekend—I can make it.

_________________________

The final bell of the day and the week—thank God. Now I can get outta here for a few days. Glad Monday's a holiday.

After taking care of a couple of things in the office, I head out quickly before anyone can stop me with something _else_ they want to throw off on me. I appreciate the fact that I'm so competent, but damn . . . I have enough on my plate.

Just as I'm walking out to the parking lot, my cell goes off. Another unfamiliar number. Adam—it might be Adam. I nearly drop it trying to flip it open with my thumb.

"Hello?"

"Tommy?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Hey, it's Adam. How are ya, man?!"

"Hey! Not too bad. How 'bout you?"

"Can't complain, I guess. I suppose Kira told you she gave me your number. Jase had written it down for me, but I couldn't find it."

"Yeah, I talked to her yesterday. It's so good to hear from you—what's been goin' on? How long you been back in Angel Grove?"

"Not long—nearly a month. I guess Jase told you I opened a new dojo downtown, right?"

"Yeah, he said he was helping you out some. Things going well with that?"

"Pretty well. Thanks in part to Jase and Rocky teaching free of charge for a little while. I was surprised at how fast the word got around. But then again, Angel Grove is hardly a booming metropolis. You need to come down and check it out."

"I plan on it." Jase had told me about Adam's marriage breaking up and that was what prompted him to move back home. I want to ask, but . . . not now. He doesn't really sound like himself.

"I could hardly believe it when Kira told me that one of the guys on the mission was wearing the uniform of the original team. How'd it feel to be back in the saddle?"

"Good. Really good. It was what I needed."

I toss my things in the jeep and lean against the door to continue talking. "So when can we get together, man?" This guy needs some cheerin' up. Then again, I guess so do I. Misery loves company, right?

"Well, I'm free on the weekends. How 'bout you?"

"Me too. Hey, I know it's short notice, but I've got a long weekend this weekend—no school on Monday. Why don't you come up and stay at the house for a couple of days?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously. It'll be a blast. I'll show you around my little town and we'll go out to eat or somethin'. Come on."

"Well . . . if you're sure it's okay."

"Yeah, I'm sure. It's just me. Who do you want me to ask if it's okay, the squirrels?"

A laugh—good sign. "Okay. When you want me there?"

"Well, it takes about an hour and a half to drive from Angel Grove and it's . . . 4:00 now. I'll see you at, say, 6? Just in time for dinner."

"Okay, you got yourself a deal. Now, how do you get there?"

I take a few minutes to give him directions and then climb in my jeep and burn out of the parking lot. I hope I can make the place presentable in two hours.

_____________________

After putting away the extra food I had stopped to get on my way home and cleaning the kitchen a little, I take a break on the couch for a minute, resisting the urge to fix myself a drink. No . . . got too much work to do. Still gotta freshen up the guest room. No one's used it since Jase was here a month ago.

A lot more dusting, straightening, bathroom cleaning, bed making, and crap hiding later I think I've got it whipped. 20 'til 6. Okay, make yourself presentable. You haven't seen him in years—don't want to look like a bum.

I pull out some black jeans, a black tank top, and a nice white shirt with black designs on the shoulders and sleeves. Wish I could wear this stuff to school—I hate dress shirts and ties. Pulling on the clean clothes, except for the shirt, and putting in my little hoop earrings I go to brush my teeth, shave, and do something with my hair. It's starting to get too long to spike up. I need to either get it cut or let it grow out again. Bet Randall would love that.

As I'm primping in the mirror, I suddenly realize that I'm getting nervous. It's Adam—Frogboy. Why be uptight? You haven't seen him in a while, but damn . . . he's one of your oldest friends. Yeah, one of your oldest friends that you've always been somewhat attracted to. Memories start flooding my mind while I'm trying to do something with this accursed hair.

_Flashback--Junior year of college_

"_Hey guys, hurry up! I'll be in the café next door," Jason yelled as he left the locker room. _

_Adam and I had taken longer with our sparring session than we'd anticipated, so we were later getting into the showers than Jase. He was already dressed and ready to leave._

"_Okay, we'll be there in a few minutes." Turning to Adam, I said, "He has a big test tomorrow that he needs to study for, I guess that's why he's anxious to get home."_

"_No problem. I'll be done in a couple of minutes," he said and walked out of the shower stall as naked as the day he was born._

_I tried my best not to be obvious, but I'm sure my eyes gave me away. _

'_Damn,' I thought. 'Look at that . . .' It's not like I hadn't seen him shirtless or in boxers occasionally —I mean, we were roommates—but he didn't tend to walk around the apartment without a stitch on. He wasn't like Jason. Matter of fact, that was the first time I'd seen him in the buff since we'd showered together at the Power Chamber. Boy, had he filled out nicely! Especially in the legs and ass department . . . _

_I had to take the towel I'd been using to dry my hair and wrap it around my waist to hide my obvious interest in his body. I mean, I wasn't looking to pursue anything with Adam—at the time, Jase and I were trying yet again to make a go of things—God, how many times did we try?—but he was kinda hard to ignore standing there all dripping wet and looking good enough to eat. Anyway, I don't think I ever said anything to him about that incident, but I never forgot it either. And that wasn't the only time . . . _

Just as I'm beginning to reminisce further, the doorbell rings. Okay, here we go—don't act like a goof. I start down the steps and then go back and grab my shirt. Don't want to shock him with the tattoos just yet. Getting to the front door, I stop and take a deep breath. Come on, chill out. I put on a big smile and open the door.

"Adam! You made it!" My smile grows as I see my old friend on my doorstep. His eyes widen a bit. I step forward and give him a big hug which he returns—if a little cautiously.

"Tommy? Hey man . . . you look good. Different, but good." Well, he's smiling—I guess that means it's a compliment.

I chuckle at that statement. All my old pals say that. I guess no one believed I'd ever cut my hair. Wait till he sees the body art.

"Well, don't stand in the door. Get in here!" He steps inside and puts his bag down, glancing around a little tentatively.

"Nice house. You've been here for a while now, haven't you?"

"Yep, a few years. Have any trouble finding the place?"

"No, not at all. You do live off the beaten path though, don'tcha?"

"Yeah. I like having no neighbors, though. It was especially nice when I had the rangers runnin' around here. Less chance of having to explain."

"No kiddin'!"

"Want something to drink?"

"Sure, thanks."

"Come on into the kitchen."

After pouring some sodas, we head into the living room and plop on the sofa. I can't help but notice that he's a little uneasy—so am I. I also can't help noticing how he's changed. He's grown up well—thicker and more muscular than he was even in college, but still with those kind eyes and nice smile. He looks tired, though.

I'm tryin' to think of what to say while avoiding the subject of his failed marriage. I'm dyin' to ask, but I don't want to upset him.

"Kira tells me the mission went well. What do you think?"

"Oh, it was good. Nice to be useful again. I'll tell you somethin'—Kira fights well, like a veteran. That Ptera scream of hers is . . . umm . . . shattering. I could tell she'd been trained by you."

"Really? Well, she's a good student—hard worker, smart, eager to learn. Those kind are always easy to teach."

"I agree. My good students at the dojo are the same way."

After a lot more discussion of the mission, I just can't put it off any longer.

"So Adam, I hate to bring it up, but . . . what happened with you and Brooke?"

I watch as he sighs and looks down at the glass in his hands. Now I wish I hadn't asked. "Nevermind . . . it's okay if you don't wanna talk about it."

"No . . . it's just that it's still hard to deal with. I caught her cheating on me."

"You're kidding . . . how could she do that?!" That little bitch . . .

"I don't know, but she did. I packed up then and there and moved out—didn't even hang around for her pitiful attempt at an explanation.

"What explanation could there be? I'm so sorry, man."

"Yeah, me too." He pauses and steadies himself. "So I stayed out there for about six months—just until the divorce was final and I'd figured out what I was gonna do. What about you? Why isn't the famous 'Dr. O.' married or at least livin' in sin with someone?"

At least he's smiling. "Good question. I don't really have an answer except that I just haven't found the right person."

He gives me a sly look. "Still swingin' both ways or was that just a college thing?"

I can't help but be surprised that he'd just come off the hip with that one. I have to laugh. "Yeah, I'm still bi. That hasn't changed."

It's a little weird to hear myself say that. _Very few_ people in Reefside or Angel Grove know that about me—only my parents and a few others.

"I figure I don't miss anything that way." Good, that got another smile. "What about you? I seem to clearly remember you yourself 'testing the waters' back in college." He looks surprised.

"Umm . . . well, I haven't dated since my marriage broke up—male or female. Haven't been interested."

"Understandable." Answers my question, though.

All at once, I notice him staring at me—my chest to be specific. I look down thinking I must have something on my shirt. "What?"

"Is that part of a tattoo I see?"

Observant boy. I wondered how long that would take. "Yeah. I've kinda started collecting 'em. Wanna see?"

He looks intrigued. "Sure. How many you got?"

"Lots." I stand up and unbutton my long-sleeved shirt. "Ready?"

I grin at him. He grins back and nods. Pulling off the shirt and tossing it on the couch, I watch as his mouth falls open.

"Ho-leee . . . when did you do all that?!"

"Over the last few years—I've had nothing better to do," I laugh. I'm being serious, though. He examines my arms and shoulders which are nearly covered in Japanese characters, koi, a flaming yinyang, a falcon, and some Native stuff.

"Wanna see some more?" I grin.

"There's more?!"

"Oh yeah . . ." I pull off my tank top to reveal a big green, white, red, and black Chinese dragon on my chest that goes from my right pec, down my side, and wraps around to my back where it loops around and ends on the small of my back. It actually covers a lot of ranger-related scars. What is that look on his face?

"Keeping in shape I see—you've bulked up, haven't you?"

"Yeah, some. I workout a lot—weight training, mostly. You look thicker yourself."

"Must be age. Have you seen Rocky lately?"

"It's been a little while."

"He's filled out a lot too. We've all thickened up, except for Jase—he's always been a bull!"

True, true.

When he's finished examining my tats—with his eyes _and_ fingers—he says, "Shit Tommy, that's alotta ink!"

"Yep—and alotta money too."

"Any more?"

I nod. "On my legs—show 'em to ya later. Right now, let's go eat—I'm starvin'!"

"Me too—where we goin'?"

We discuss restaurant options as I redress and then head out to the sushi bar that we had agreed on. As we drive along, I point out some of the sights of Reefside. It's a nice little town—bigger than Angel Grove, but not so big that I can't stand it. Having lived outside the city since I was 15, I really prefer the smaller places. When I go visit my relatives in LA, it tears my nerves up.

"I'll show you Reefside High tomorrow. It sorta reminds me of our old high school—about the same size. Pretty good sports teams, too."

"Decent soccer team?"

"Yeah, they're really good. As a matter of fact, the coach got recruited by a college, so he's leaving at the end of the year. You still play?"

"Oh, just pick-up games in the park."

"You should meet Connor when he comes home for the summer—he's a star forward. He was my red ranger."

"Oh yeah, Kira warned, uh . . . _told_ me about him. Heard a lot about the team, including their black ranger."

I glance over at him and grin. "Oh?"

"Yeah. It was cute to watch Kira's eyes light up when she talked about 'her Dr. O.'. She told everyone about her mentor/teacher/friend who was quote, 'the most legendary ranger ever' unquote," he says with a big grin while fluttering his eyelashes.

I feel my face heating up. "Oh stop it."

"Seriously. She got everyone's curiosity up, so she and I together had to give the whole team—us old guys and the Operation Overdrive gang—a history lesson about you."

"Oh my God. You're not really serious."

" 'Fraid I am. The kid from the SPD team, Bridge, was from about 20 years in the future and he said that he'd studied about you at the academy."

My mouth falls open. I have no idea what to say to that. He's gotta see how bad I'm blushing.

"Sorry man—just thought you'd like to know that stuff."

"No, it's flattering—just a tad embarrassing."

"Kira's got a thing for you, you know that right?"

"Umm . . . yeah . . . but I'm pretty sure she knows I'm too old for her."

"I don't know . . ."

Change the subject, change the subject.

"Okay, I'll lay off," he chuckles.

"Good. Here's the restaurant."

________________________

After stuffing our faces and knocking back enough sake to pickle a fish, we're both relaxing more. We talk over old times, laugh at stupid stuff we used to do, and just generally get reacquainted. As we're leaving, I get a good idea.

"Let's go by Hayley's before she closes."

"Hayley? Who's that?"

I explain briefly about my good friend and team genius then tell him about the Cyberspace.

"It's the closest thing to a Youth Center that we have here. Kinda reminds me of the old place, though."

Getting out of the jeep, my back catches as I try to straighten up. "Uhhh . . . damn," I groan and grab my lower back.

"You okay?" He looks worried as he comes around to help, holding me by my waist and arm.

"I'm okay, just a little back pain. Let's go in so I can sit down."

We walk inside and glance around to see who's hanging out on a Friday night. Several of my students wave and speak.

"Popular, aren'tcha?" he grins.

"Hayley! How's it goin', Sis?" I say as we approach the bar. She looks up and smiles.

"Hey T! Fancy seeing you here on a weekend."

"Well, we went out to eat and thought we'd stop by."

"So . . . introduce me," she says smiling.

"I was gonna . . ." I grin. This is Adam Park, one of my best friends from high school. Adam, this is Hayley, owner of this fine establishment." Turning back to the redhead, "Adam's been with me through lots of colours." That's code for 'he's been on multiple ranger teams with me'.

The light dawns in her eyes. "Ah, I see. Nice to meet such a 'colourful' friend. What'll you handsome gentlemen have?"

"Just a cup of something strong," I say and wink at her.

"Only coffee here, you know that. How about some of my new Kenya blend?"

"That'll do. I had a lot of sake at the sushi bar anyway."

"Adam? What about you?"

"The same will be fine, thank you."

As Hayley goes to get our selected beverages, Adam gives me a concerned look. "How's your back? You okay?"

"Just gettin' old, I guess." I shoot him a half grin.

"Yeah, right. What's really wrong? Jase told me you've been having some problems."

"Did he? Well, I'll tell you about it when we get back to the house. Don't worry, I'm okay." Although I'd have to say that it'd be nice to have someone worry for a change. Okay, that wasn't fair—Jase worries about me, I know that. But he's not here . . .

"Alright, if you say so."

A few of my female students come over while we're having our coffee and ask about their term papers. Sorry, no grading papers this weekend, ladies. I think it's just a cover anyway.

"So Dr. O. . . you look nice. Why don't you wear stuff like that to school?" a young lady named Kellie asks. There we go—knew something like that was behind the 'visit'. They're not _that_ interested in their grades.

"Principal Randall would never go for it. Gotta look professional at school, ya know," I answer, smiling. "But thank you."

"Too bad. Not that you don't look good at school, it's just . . ." the young blonde trails off and blushes. "Umm, well . . . see you in class!" she says as they turn to leave.

Adam grins and giggles. "Quite a fan club you got there, buddy."

I shake my head. "Oh shut up. I'm sure you get the same thing at the dojo. 'Oh Master Park, would you show me that again?'" I say in my best feminine voice and touch his arm gently.

We both laugh. "Okay maybe . . . but not like you."

"I just have more students than you do, that's all," I giggle.

Finishing our coffee, we head back to my house to just hang out and catch up. Settling in on the sofa, he brings up the injury again.

"So tell me what's wrong with your back. Jase said it was nerve damage, is that right?"

"Yeah. Hayley's hypothesis is that I've had my powers either taken, changed, or stripped from me so many times that it's damaged my nervous system. You just happened to catch me on a bad day. I'm not usually this bad." Actually, this isn't too bad—it gets much worse.

His face is full of worry, concern, and a little shock.

"She keeps an eye on me and charts its progression. Wanna see our lab? It used to be our command center."

"Yeah! Where is it?" That seems to have diverted his attention from my malady for the moment. Good.

"Come on . . . I'll show you," I say with a big grin as I carefully get up and walk toward the trap door.

"Open sesame," I say with a laugh and hit the opening mechanism. The door rises up out of the floor and Adam laughs.

"Are you a science teacher or Batman?!"

"Eh . . . a little of both, I guess."

We descend the steps—me a little more carefully than he--and he at once gets that face that most people exhibit when they see this place for the first time. After Zeltrax trashed it, we redid most of it, upgrading and expanding some of the systems. We can still keep an eye on the city if we want to, but it's mostly used for research now. That and I expanded my personal gym.

"Who built all of this?"

"Actual construction? Me and Jase did. Hayley built all the electronic systems along with the computers."

Walking over to a seemingly solid wall, I find the hidden button.

"Watch this," I say with a grin and press said button causing a ten foot wide portion of the wall to slide back revealing a secret room. "Check this out—my own little personal ranger museum."

Adam moves through the door and gasps at some of the stuff in the room. I have all of my old morphers, a few uniforms, and assorted weapons and things. I even have pieces of the main control room of the Power Chamber.

"How did . . . where . . ." he stops.

I burst out laughing. "I used to go dig through the remains of the Command Center/Power Chamber all the time. I brought back anything that was salvageable and would fit!"

He runs his fingers over the old familiar consoles. "Billy would love to see this!"

I nod.

"Hey, you know what? I've got Alpha 6 at my place now. I didn't have the heart to put him back in that crate after he helped us out. He'd love it here! He could help you and Hayley out."

"That would be great! Not to mention Hayley could use the help. I'm not the techie that she is. I'm good with fossils and stuff, but a rocket scientist--I ain't."

"And she is?"

"Among other things."

"So, you wanna bring him up here?"

"Yeah, definitely."

After he noses around for a little while longer, we go back upstairs and I give him the little tour.

"Nice place, Tommy. Don't you get lonely out here by yourself though?" Absolutely.

"Sometimes, but I like the peace and quiet. Besides, I can lay out in the sun completely naked and no one is any wiser."

"Do that a lot, do ya?" he grins.

"Eh . . . not a lot, but it's been known to happen."

"Remind me to call before I drop by," he says with a smirk.

"Okay . . . hey! What are you tryin' to say? I happen to have a pretty nice body, thank you very much."

"If you say so, I'm just not sure I want to see you in the buff."

"Your loss . . . and it wouldn't be the first time." I wink playfully and go to make myself a drink. "Want something?"

"Sure. Whatever you're having is fine."

I pour two scotches, handing him one and head for the couch. I kick off my shoes and pull off my overshirt, making myself comfortable.

"Make yourself at home, bro. Mi casa su casa."

"Alright, right after I use your restroom."

"You know where it is."

By the time he returns, I'm stretched out on the couch, trying to ease the tension in my poor back. He comes over and gives me a worried look.

"I can massage it for you if you want."

"I'll take you up on that later. Just relax right now." I find myself wondering how anyone could be mean to, let alone cheat on, someone as wonderful as my friend here.

A few more drinks in him and Frogboy begins to open up a lot more.

"You know what really sucks about my marriage ending like it did?"

Apart from the obvious . . . "What's that?"

"I really, sincerely loved that bitch and look at what she did."

"Did you know the guy?"

"I'd seen him before. He works in the same office as she does."

I look him right in the eyes. "You didn't actually catch them in the act, did ya?" Please say no.

"No—I'd probably be in jail right now if I had. No, I found a bunch of emails and IMs on her laptop. Not to mention unexplainable charges on my Visa—restaurants I hadn't been to and hotels I had never slept in." His face becomes very ugly when he says that. Poor guy.

I shake my head. "Damn. I'm sorry, bro. You deserve so much better than that."

"Yeah . . . I think I do too. Maybe someday . . ."

"You'll find someone, don't worry. Just give yourself time."

He changes the subject. Just as well, I guess.

"So, you said you'd show me the rest of your tattoos. Let's see 'em."

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours . . ."

He grins. "I only have two."

With a little trouble, he stands and pulls off his t-shirt, tossing it onto the chair with a grand gesture. He's feelin' that scotch—I can tell. So am I.

"Here ya go, my measly two little tattoos."

He has a wide tribal band encircling his right bicep and one on his left shoulder blade that is his name in Korean. It has some nice Asian-inspired decoration around it.

"Nice . . . very nice," I say as I examine them in detail, rubbing his bicep in the process. "Gonna get some more?"

"Probably. Will you introduce me to your artist?"

"Absolutely. Okay, I promised so here ya go." I unbutton my jeans and push them to the floor with a little difficulty. Damn back. Kicking them off, I slowly straighten up and show him the big samurai on my left thigh and the native design that runs down the side of my right calf and ends on top of my foot.

"Wow, the colour in these is so vivid. Are they new?"

"Not really. They're about two or three years old. My newest is all the colour in my dragon. I had the outline done first and then gradually got it filled in as my finances would allow. Us teachers don't get paid enough, ya know."

"That's what I hear."

Two hours later, we've just about talked ourselves out for the night. Both yawning and stretching, we decide to turn in. Pulling myself up slowly, I nearly stumble as a combination of back pain and too much scotch come together to ruin my balance.

"Whoa, easy there," he says and grabs my arm to steady me.

"Thanks. Damn back."

We start up the stairs and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm having trouble walking. Usually when it gets like this, I sleep on the couch to avoid having to tackle the steps, but I'm not doing that with a guest in the house.

"Need some help?" he offers.

"Ummm . . . yeah. That'd probably be a good idea."

"Okay. That offer for a massage still stands. You interested?"

"You're tired—you don't have to do that."

"I don't mind a bit. I think you could use one, bro. Come on, let's get you in bed."

Yep, really great guy. Brooke, you're a fool.

Finally making it up the stairs and into my room, I sit down gingerly on the bed and try to pull my tank top off. Nope--back too stiff. I look at Adam with a somewhat pitiful expression.

He shakes his head slightly and gives me a concerned look. "Here, let me help."

He removes my shirt leaving me in only boxers and tells me to lay down on my stomach. I try it, but it hurts too bad.

"Sorry. One side or the other is all I can manage."

"Okay, we'll start there." Kneeling on my bed in his t-shirt and boxer shorts, he begins working his fist into the tight muscles of my lower back. It's not real comfortable at first, but I can feel the knots loosening.

"Mmmm . . . your mom taught you well. That's really helping." Mrs. Park is one helluva massage therapist.

"I thought it might. Let me know when you think you can lie on your stomach."

I nod, trying to relax as much as possible. After several more minutes, I try successfully to lie flat on my belly so that he can reach my entire back.

"Ahhh . . . damn," I groan as his strong hands knead and push into my sore, tight muscles. "That's wonderful."

He chuckles a little and continues to try and make me feel better.

"I owe you for this," I tell him.

"No you don't."

Once he has worked my back over, he turns his attention to the tight muscles in my legs. As I feel his powerful hands grasping and kneading my thighs, I also feel a definite reaction in another part of my anatomy. Oh well, I'm lying on my stomach anyway. If he turns me over we might have a problem.

Thankfully, he moves back up to my shoulders before I embarrass myself. My eyelids feel like they weigh twenty pounds each. I know I'm drifting off, but I can't stop myself.

"G'night Adam," I try to mumble. No clue whether he understood me or not.

_________________

_Author's Notes: Please let us know what you think by hitting that little Review button down there!! We'd very much appreciate it!!_


	2. Digging Deeper

**Misery Loves Company**

**By**

**A Warrior's Prophet**

**Disclaimers****:** See Chapter 1.

**Author's Notes****: **Thanks to everyone for the wonderful response to chapter 1! The point of view may change back and forth in this story—don't let it throw you! A special thanks to the real Kyle Sorensen for letting us 'borrow him' for our OC. Some similarities exist between the two, but not all of them. Thanks Kyle!

**Chapter 2**—**Digging Deeper**

**(Adam's POV)**

Kneeling on his bed in my t-shirt and boxer shorts, I begin working my fist into the tight muscles of his lower back. It's not real comfortable to him at first as evidenced by the way he's flinching, but I can feel the knots starting to loosen.

"Ahhh . . . damn," he groans as my hands knead and push into his sore, tight muscles. "That's wonderful . . . I owe you for this."

"No you don't," I answer. That's absurd. As many times as he's saved my bacon . . . I owe him more than I could ever repay.

As I start over at his shoulders and begin working down, I can't help but feel the incredible muscle tone under his smooth skin. He's always been well-toned and sculpted, especially in college, but now that he's bulked up quite a bit I would have to say that 'ripped' would be the right word. I'm jealous. Always have been, truth be known. That's the reason I wouldn't wear a tank top or go shirtless when he did. Maybe I can get him to share some bodybuilding secrets with me.

"How's that?" I ask after a few more minutes. No response.

"Tommy?" I lean over him until I can see the side of his face. I can't help but smile—he's sleeping peacefully, not making a sound. That mumble I heard must've been his 'goodnight'.

Not wanting to risk waking him by just abruptly stopping, I ease off the pressure with my hands until I'm really just lightly rubbing his back. As my palm slides across his right side, I feel more than see a couple of the scars that his dragon tat is concealing. Upon closer inspection, I can make out the actual size of the wound. This one looks like it was caused by a blade of some sort—maybe a sword. I wonder if it came from one of his many run-ins with Goldar. I remember Jase telling me about the scars they 'gifted' each other with during T's stint as an evil ranger. Jase's is on his chest—the result of blaster fire. Tommy's is supposed to be on his side just below his ribs—wish I could turn him over and look.

'No wait, is this it?' I wonder as my fingers find a thick, raised line running from under his ribs around towards his back. It's covered up by the tattoo, but I can still feel it. 'Damn, Jase . . . tryin' to split him wide open, weren't ya?' Wonder how he explained all these battle souvenirs to doctors and artists over the years. I guess tattoo artists don't ask too many questions . . .

On his left side I find a nice jagged remnant of a wound not covered by ink. I search my memory of Tommy's ranger-related scars and come up empty. Then it hits me . . . the wreck. That was a long time ago . . . nearly . . . wow, nearly ten years now . . . I hadn't thought about it since college. I know Tommy was severely injured in that accident—he had a bad concussion, a broken shoulder and ribs, this puncture in his side that my fingers are now feeling the result of . . . but I think there was more to it than that. Thinking back to those days right after high school, I can't help but believe that Jase and Tommy were keeping something from me . . . from all of the rest of us. Maybe that's something else I need to talk to Rex about.

Well, better get some sleep myself. After pulling a sheet up over him and turning out the light, I close the door quietly and make my way to the room he said was mine for the weekend. I think Tommy mentioned that Jase was the last to use this room. Well, at least he gets visitors out here in the quasi-wilderness.

No sooner have I climbed in bed and gotten comfortable than I realize I have to go—again.

"Damn it," I mutter and pull myself outta bed and pad across the hallway to what I think is the bathroom. Nope, that's the linen closet. Try again. Wrong, this looks like it's supposed to be another bedroom. At the moment though, it's somewhere between an office and a storage room. Closing the door, I guess I should've paid more attention when he was showing me around. By process of elimination, I find the bathroom at last and take care of business. I glance in the mirror that is the front of the medicine cabinet as I'm washing up. Wow—I look rough. Bet I'll look even rougher in the morning. Wonder if Tommy's got any Tylenol . . .

Opening the cabinet, I can't believe my eyes. Two of the four little shelves are lined with prescription bottles. Tommy is worse off than he lets on. What is all this stuff? Two or three I recognize as pain medications, one for migraines, and another that says, "Take 1 tablet every 4 hours as needed for anxiety." Anxiety? Tommy? Guilt complex, yes . . . but anxiety?

I keep looking, knowing I probably shouldn't. I mean, this really isn't my business, but I'm worried about him. I stop and stare as I come across one that I know is for depression. Not to mention the sleeping pills.

Oh shit, Tom. Pain, depression, sleeping, and anxiety meds . . . and he sure was knocking back the alcohol tonight . . . we gotta talk. All of this would make a cocktail you wouldn't wake up from.

I find the Tylenol that I originally went after and swallow a couple quickly, then I head back to bed. Talk about a buzz kill . . . I was all set to enjoy being tipsy and not dwelling on upsetting things like my whore of an ex-wife or the fact that I now live in a tiny apartment and go to sleep and wake up alone . . . No, now I'm seriously worried about one of my good friends—one who's almost like my brother.

Not that I think he'd purposely try to hurt himself—I mean, he's got a good life here—good job, even if it doesn't pay enough; a nice house with plenty of privacy; some nice friends if Hayley is any indication; and his students seem to like him—especially the girls. He always did have a way with the ladies.

I'm more afraid of him maybe drinking a little too much one night and taking one or two too many pills . . . I don't wanna think about it. If anything were to happen to him . . . My mind suddenly begins playing out a worst-case scenario where I get an early morning call from a completely-crushed original red ranger telling me that Tommy is dead . . . of an overdose. I have to shake my head to clear it. Come on, don't think that way.

All this worry is mostly Jason's fault anyway. He just had to call me up and tell me how worried _he_ was. It was probably after he got back to Angel Grove from his visit here—just before I went on the Overdrive mission. I didn't have time to think about it while I was at the Hartford mansion, but as soon as I got back it hit me. Jason said that Tommy was drinking waaaay too much and, according to him, was becoming dependent on pain killers. Was he exaggerating? The former gold ranger isn't given to doing that and he _is _a paramedic. However he does have a protective streak a mile wide when it comes to Tommy. I don't know. Guess I'll have to just watch him and see—he sure was puttin' away the booze tonight. Maybe Jase's got somethin' here.

I shake my head again--gotta stop this. He's a grown man . . . a very intelligent grown man. He's a doctor, for cryin' out loud. And he's in good shape . . . _damn_ good shape, looks like to me. I don't think he's ever been that buff. He's gotta weigh close to 200 pounds—all muscle, too.

(2 hours of catnapping, tossing, and turning later)

Okay, this isn't working. I just can't get Tommy off my mind. Maybe if I get something to drink and a little nibble I'll feel better. Getting up and quietly leaving my room, I walk softly down the hall to the stairs. As I pass Tommy's bedroom, I can't resist the urge to press my ear to the door.

No sound. I turn the knob and crack the door open just a bit. It's so dark that I can't see a thing and I still don't hear a sound. I know this is silly and if I wake him I'll feel bad, but I can't help it—I have to make sure he's okay.

Once I get over to the bed and my eyes adjust a bit, I can barely make out the outline of his form curled up on his side. Reaching out tentatively, I lay my open hand on his chest, relieved when I feel the regular rise and fall. I knew it was silly. He's okay—just sleeping off all that scotch. He is cold, though. I pull the covers up over him and try to make sure he's tucked in. Man, he's a big guy. He shifts slightly in his sleep, making me jump back a little. I'd better go before I wake him up.

Closing the door behind me, I start for the kitchen again. I make myself a little snack and wander around a little while I'm munching on my PB&J.

What on earth is this huge stack? Shuffling through it a little I see that they're term papers. The first couple have been graded already. Reading instructor's notes written by Tommy is surreal—I still can't believe he's a teacher. Ooooh, he really let this one kid have it—looks like his red pen bled all over that paper. I'm giggling at some of his comments . . . that's cold, Tom.

Okay, enough fascination with the man's job. I need to try to go back to sleep. But first . . . I gotta take a look inside that liquor cabinet. I'm probably making too much of this. Opening both doors, I realize that I'm not. There are vodka, gin, bourbon, rum, and scotch bottles—none of them full. Beside the cabinet is a wine rack—red, white, and blush—three to four bottles of each. Well, at least he's a well-rounded drinker. I gotta talk to him.

Turning off the lamp, I climb the stairs and try to go back to bed. Maybe I'll have better luck this time.

I slowly awake to the smell of coffee brewing. Mmm . . . that really smells good. Yawning and stretching, I pull myself out of bed and, after visiting the bathroom, make my way to the kitchen. There stands Tommy wearing only a pair of black warm-up pants that barely cover his hips—he's looking no worse for wear. He's reading the morning paper and waiting for the coffee to finish.

"Mornin'," I say as I enter the room. He lowers the paper and looks at me over his glasses.

"Mornin'. You sleep okay?"

"Well no… not really. Too much on my mind."

"I'm sorry. Want some coffee?"

"That'd be great. You feelin' okay today?"

"Oh yeah, I'm good. A bit of a headache, but nothin' serious."

"How's your back?"

"It actually feels pretty good. I'm gonna have to get you to work your massage magic on me more often!" he says with a big smile.

"Anytime . . . glad I could help." Maybe if I really can help him feel better he won't need all those prescriptions . . . and I won't worry so much. Neither will Jase.

Bringing me a big, steaming mug of the most wonderful smelling coffee, he sits down at the table with me. "So, whatcha wanna do today?"

"Oh, I don't know. You said something about showing me your school."

"Sure, we can go by there. I really hate to do this, but I seriously need some new pants that I can wear to work. I've had a couple of pairs ruined by careless lab students recently. Would you mind going shopping with me for about an hour?"

I grin at him. "No, I don't mind."

"Cool. It shouldn't take long and there are some really good restaurants out by the mall. We'll have lunch there . . . or dinner, depending on what time we get there."

I nod. After a pause, he asks, "How's your coffee?"

"It's really good—what kind is it?"

"Something Hayley gave me . . . I think it's Kona coffee from Hawaii. Although, she called it 'Kyle Surprise'." He rolls his eyes. "She gets all these exotic coffee beans from all over the place for the Cyberspace and she always gives me some."

"That's nice of her, but 'Kyle Surprise'?"

"I've learned not to ask. She owes me—I think she's trying to pay me back in coffee beans," he says with a laugh.

Wonder what she owes him for. Before I can ask him, he poses a question to me.

"So, what was on your mind last night? Wanna talk about it?"

Yeah I do . . . but I don't know how to start.

"Was it about what happened with Brooke?" he asks, giving me an out for the moment.

"Some of it, yeah." I sigh and stare into my mug. "It's just depressing."

"I can imagine. Makes it hard to trust people, doesn't it?"

"Yeah it does, but I don't suppose you've ever been cheated on and lied to."

"Oh, yes I have. She was just a girlfriend—not my wife—but it still hurt. A lot."

I shake my head. "I just don't understand that mentality. If you don't want to be with someone, leave them and go to someone else. Don't cheat on 'em and make 'em feel like garbage."

"I guess some people just want more than they can find with one person. They go looking for whatever they're lacking."

"Well, my marriage wasn't lacking in closeness or actual sex, so why did that bitch have to go looking?"

He shakes his head sadly. "I don't know, man. Lots of people would like to have answers like that."

I can feel my anger rising. He notices my clenched fist on the table—I need to calm myself down—it's too early for this.

"Can we change the subject?" I ask, trying not to look like a kicked puppy.

He nods, but doesn't take his eyes from me. Man, he has a piercing gaze. I had forgotten about that.

"If you ever need to talk though, I'm here Adam. Anytime, okay?"

I give him a half smile. "Okay." Damn . . . I didn't realize how much I'd missed him.

"Whatcha want for breakfast? I can do eggs, bacon, and toast or oatmeal."

He cooks? This I gotta see.

"Eggs and bacon sounds great. Want some help?"

"No, you're my guest. I got it," he says as he's pulling stuff from the fridge.

As I watch him making our breakfast, I suddenly figure out a way to bring things up with him. "You got anything for a headache?" I ask, hoping he'll direct me to the medicine cabinet.

"Ummm . . . sure. I'll get it," he says.

"No, just tell me where it is—you've got your hands full."

"Upstairs bathroom. There should be some Tylenol or Excedrin in the cabinet."

"Thanks. Be right back." Good, it worked.

"Bring me a couple while you're at it."

"Okay."

While I'm up there, I make mental notes of the names of the prescriptions: Soma, which is a muscle relaxant, and Naproxen that is used as an anti-inflammatory. Those don't really bother me. What bothers me is the Valium that's used for anxiety, Celexafor depression, Midrinfor migraines, Ambiento help him sleep, and Vicodin**, **Talwin**, **and even Morphinefor pain. I shake my head again. There's gotta be a better way to treat him than with all these pills, especially considering that some of them can be used for more than one purpose . . . like the Valium, for instance.

Coming back into the kitchen, I place two Excedrin beside his coffee cup.

"There ya go," he says, placing a big plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and crisp bacon in front of me. Mmm, that looks good!

"Dig in. We'll go for a run after breakfast to work some of this off."

I eagerly start on my food, amazed that my former ranger commander can actually cook. "This is good! When did you get all domestic?" I kid him.

"Well, there's nobody else to do it. I kinda _have_ to cook, clean, and wash clothes, and stuff."

"I guess so. Me too. Luckily for me, Mom helps me out some."

"Well, I con Hayley into helping me sometimes. Kira has been known to lend a hand from time to time, too" he smiles. I'll bet she has.

"You could probably have a whole female student cleaning crew over here free of charge if you wanted," I laugh.

"Really? Tell me how . . . other than offering A's on their report cards."

"Just promise to wear something like what you've got on now—you'd have a waiting list!"

He looks down at himself and then eyes me with a grin. "Adam Park, are you flirting with me?"

I nearly choke at that. "No . . . I'm just sayin' . . ." Damn it, I'm blushing—I can feel it. There's that gaze again. Cover your ass, come on!

"It's just that I saw how your students were looking at you last night at Hayley's place. You've always had that effect on women, Tommy—you know that."

He nods, grinning. "Uh huh . . . Well, I don't effect 'em enough to make 'em want to stay with me for long. Maybe I just need to write off women for a while."

"Yeah, maybe," I say innocently enough, but he's studying my face like he's trying to read my mind. "What?" He's making me uncomfortable.

"How's your head?" he finally asks, looking down at his mostly empty plate.

"Better. You?"

"Not bad."

I need to go ahead and get this over with. Just plunge in—go on.

"Tommy, can I talk to you about somethin'?"

"Sure," he says, glancing up at me with a curious look.

"Promise you won't get mad?"

He lifts one eyebrow, looking for the world like Jason Scott. "Okaaaay."

"Well, when I was upstairs getting the Excedrin earlier I couldn't help but notice all the prescription meds you have in there." He casts his eyes down and takes a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah . . ."

"Do you really take all of that?"

He sighs. I think I've upset him.

"Only when I need it. Some of those bottles are a couple of years old. I should probably throw them out."

"Are you in that much pain? Tell me the truth." I throw my best piercing gaze at him. Two can play at that game.

He meets my gaze head on. "Sometimes, yeah."

"Like yesterday?"

"Yesterday was about . . . a 4 on the pain scale."

"How bad does it get?"

"6 to 8 sometimes. A 10 is a trip to the ER."

I feel my eyes widen. "You have many 10s?"

"No, thank goodness. The last time that happened it wasn't pretty."

"What happened?"

"Tell you some other time. So, you ready to go for our run?" He gets up and starts clearing the table.

Oh no you don't. You're not shutting me out like that. "Tommy, tell me."

"Not now. I don't wanna get into all that right now."

"Can I help?"

"Unless you can fix my nerve damage, no."

"What about some of our vast array of friends? Maybe Eltarian or Triforian medicine could help."

He's standing by the sink with his arms folded. He's shutting down on me, I can tell. "Maybe," he mutters.

"Have you looked into it?"

"Not really."

Damn, he's exasperating. "And why not?" I ask; my voice a little more intense than I intended it to be. I'm sure he can tell that I'm getting irritated at his utter lack of a good explanation.

"Why are you getting so upset? I can handle it, Adam."

"I'm getting upset because I care about you, dammit! A lot. I don't want to see you suffering needlessly or drinking too much to cover it up. All it would take is one too many pills on top of all that alcohol, and . . ." I'm finally able to shut my mouth. All of that wasn't supposed to come out. He's looking at me like I've lost it.

"Adam . . ." he starts, but pauses. His voice is low and calm. "I'm okay . . . really. It's good to know that you care that much, but . . . don't worry. I can handle it."

I take a deep breath. "Look, you're an adult and perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, I know that. It's just that . . . you're one of my oldest friends and I worry."

He nods. "By the way, what makes you think I drink a lot?"

"All those bottles in the liquor cabinet. Not to mention you were puttin' it away last night."

"Not to put too fine a point on it, my friend, but you were too . . . if you remember."

He's right. Now that I think about it, he didn't drink much more than I did. Seeing all those medicine bottles just freaked me out. That and Jase's phone call. Thanks, Rex.

Sheepishly, I look into his face. "Don't pay any attention to me. I've been on edge for months now. Sorry."

He puts a hand on my shoulder. "Nothing to be sorry for. Like I said, I'm really glad that you care—it's nice to know. Look, let's make a deal. I promise to try to talk out my problems with you if you'll do the same with me."

It's obvious that we're both dealing with a lot of pain, whether it is emotional like mine or physical like his. Maybe we _can_ help each other.

"Deal."

"Now, you wanna go for a jog?"

"Sure. Let's go."

It's getting close to 9 by the time we walk out the front door to work off some of that breakfast. The spring air is pleasantly cool as we stretch on the front lawn. Absently, I think how much I miss having a yard to cook out or just be lazy in. My apartment doesn't afford me any of that. I wonder if that bitch and her office boy are enjoying my yard . . .

"Adam . . ."

"Huh?" I'm zoning again.

"You ready?" Tommy asks.

"Yeah. Sorry." He looks at me like he knows where my mind was.

" 's okay. Come on." He starts toward his long driveway and I follow close behind until we get to the main road where I catch up. Man, this brings back memories. He, Jase, and I used to run at least three times a week when we were at the university. Tommy could always pull away from us at will because of those long legs. Jase used to say that he had another gear that we didn't have. Of course, when it came to power lifting, there was no contest. Jason Scott could practically lift a car. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but he was . . . _is_ an extraordinarily strong man. Me? I'm slippery, quick, and quiet. I can dump the bigger guys on their asses before they know what's happening--except for my physically gifted friend here.

"Hey . . . you wanna spar later? We haven't done that in years," I ask.

He looks over and smiles. "Sure . . . that sounds like fun. As long as you don't mind picking your sorry ass up off the ground a few times . . ."

Ohhhh . . . talkin' smack, huh? "Yeah, big man . . . just don't let your mouth write a check your butt can't cash, alright?"

He grins at me. "We'll see, Froggy."

Froggy? Damn . . . no one's called me that in a looong time. I laugh in spite of myself.

We run on for another half mile or so until we see a car coming toward us. Wow. I was beginning to think he had a force field or somethin' around this place. Other people can't approach without his express permission. It goes by and then another comes along not too far behind. The kids in the black SUV sound their horn and wave out the window.

"Hey Dr. O!" they yell as they pass.

Tommy waves back. Students of his, I guess. And guys this time too . . .

"Some of yours?" I ask.

"Yeah. They live out here somewhere. Good kids."

"How many classes you teach, anyway?"

"We're on a block schedule—kids have four classes a day plus a lunch period. I teach three classes—the other is a planning period. Although, my planning period often times ends up being a counselling or discussion session with my teaching assistant. "

"Cool. All three the same?" I can't help but grin at him. "Teaching assistant? Is she cute?"

"No. One is a general science class—some chemistry, some biology—like that. Second block is Earth Science, and third is an advanced version of Earth Science for seniors only." He laughs softly. "_He_ is a former student of mine. Good kid though. You might get to meet him later."

I nod. "So which is your favourite?"

"Probably the advanced class. The kids are all college-bound and pretty motivated—makes it easy to teach."

"So . . . you ever feel bad for some of the pranks we used to pull on our teachers at Angel Grove High? Now that you're in their shoes, I mean."

He grins at me. "Yeah. Karma's a bitch!"

We both laugh at that. Yes it is, my friend.

Back at the house, we relax on the back deck for a little while before we start the sparring session. I begin to wonder if it's a good idea.

"Tommy, be honest with me. Are you okay to spar? I'd feel absolutely terrible if I made things worse."

"No, I'm okay. If I start to feel like something's flaring up, I'll tell ya." A minute later—"You're not tryin' to get out of this, are ya?" He eyes me suspiciously.

"No, no . . . just worried aboutcha."

"Worry about yourself, buddy," he says smugly. "Are we gonna do this?"

I get up from my deck chair and stretch. "Alright . . . come on so I can clean your clock for ya."

He bursts out laughing. "Yeah, right. When did that ever happen?"

"I'm gonna shut that smart mouth, you wait."

"Shut me up . . . _please_," he goads me further.

"It's your yard—where would you like to get your ass kicked?"

He grins even bigger. "Back yard—the ground's more level. Let's get the mats."

"You have mats?" Of course he has mats. This is Tommy.

"I had to have them when I was trainin' the kids. Lots of big tree roots and stuff around here. A butt-kickin' is one thing—a head injury is somethin' else."

"True."

We get out the mats and start to put them down, continuing our smack talk.

"Of course another reason you could be needing mats is that you're getting old."

"Old? I'm only a little older than you, Froggy. Besides, I wasn't the one that had to drive a minivan." He shoves me.

"At least I'm not tryin' to wear a rainbow. What color you goin' for next? Blue? Pink? Think you'd look great in a skirt there T." Definitely got the legs for it.

"Says the one who wore green second." He's got me there.

"So we're even—I wore black before you."

Straightening up, he pretends to dust off his black t-shirt. "Maybe . . . but it looks better on me."

I grin at him. "Oh yeah?" I say loudly, puffing out my chest.

"Yeah!" he responds equally as loudly, giving me a push on the shoulder.

"We gonna do this or are we just gonna trade insults?"

"Let's go . . . but just remember, you asked for it!"

"Fine!" By this time, we're up in each other's faces, fingers stuck in shoulders.

"Ribbit!" he mocks me. "Come on, Frogboy!"

"Ribbit me, will ya?" I arch an eyebrow at him, trying to make it as convincing as Jase does. "I'll pluck those feathers for ya, _Falcon_!"

I'm tryin' so hard to keep a straight face, but it's not easy. He's not having much success either. He reaches out and shoves me again, trying to look big and menacing—it'd be more convincing if he could keep from giggling.

"Oh, you're asking for it, asshole!" I yell as I drop into a fighting stance, ready to wipe that smug grin off his face.

"I'm beggin' for it! Who's gonna give it to me? You?" he yells from his fighting stance.

"Oh yeah—right now!"

We're circling each other looking for an opening when . . .

"Dr. O!"

"Hey! What's going on here?"

We both drop our guards and look in the direction of the voices. I see a girl that looks like Kira and some black-haired kid running toward us ready to fight. More specifically, running at _me_.

"Kira? Trent?" Tommy says in surprise.

The Hispanic-looking boy reaches me first—he has an ugly look on his face. Putting a hand on my chest, he looks between us.

"You're not touchin' him! You'll have to go through me first!" he yells in my face. I'm sure I could take him, but he's determined to protect Tommy.

"Trent! It's okay . . . this is . . ." my old friend starts.

"Adam?" Kira says in surprise as she finally gets a good look at me from behind this Trent kid. She pulls his hand away from my chest.

I'm still lookin' a little surprised as he apologizes. Tommy's laughing and patting his shoulder. We all eventually have a good laugh and Tommy explains to them what we were doin' while we all have a seat on the deck.

"They're a little overprotective . . ." he says and shoots them both a look.

Kira looks up sheepishly. "Sorry Dr. O . . . it's just that when we got out of the car we could hear you guys arguing . . . well, apparently arguing anyway . . . and all I heard was stuff like "Fine!" and "Come on!" and "You're askin' for it, asshole" . . . what were we supposed to think?

"That I can take care of myself?"

"We know you can, but with all the pain you've been having . . ." Trent starts, but stops short when he gets a stern look from his former mentor. "Sorry, Dr. O."

Tommy gives them a shake of his head, but then smiles. "Thanks for the effort, guys . . . but seriously, I'm okay."

"But Hayley said . . ."

"I'm okay," he interrupts. "Besides, Hayley doesn't know everything. I know how my body feels and it feels fine most of the time. Adam, you ready to spar?" he asks, turning to me.

"Uh . . . yeah, sure . . . but might I make one suggestion?" I say, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What's that?"

"How about we go at 40%? It's been a while and if you still wanna go out later, I'd like to be able to enjoy myself and not limp any more than I have to." I can't help it . . . I'm worried about him.

He raises an eyebrow back at me and adds a half-grin. "Okay, if you're not up to going all out. . . I guess we can hold back a bit."

I'll let him think whatever he wants. If I were to hurt him I'd never get over it.

Getting up and heading back over to the mats, we try to refocus.

"Okay, now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Oh yeah . . . come on!" he says loudly and drops back into his fighting stance.

As we circle each other, I can tell that he's serious about this, especially now that we have an audience. He probably wants to prove somethin' to his former protégés—though I'm pretty sure I caught an appreciative look from them after I made my 40% suggestion.

While I'm worrying about hurting him, he comes at me with a fake front kick and slips inside my guard somehow, landing a quick series of three punches. Good thing we're wearing gloves. We didn't used to, back in the day, but as an adult it's not cool to walk around with facial bruises. I counter with a side kick just to get him off me, but it doesn't land with any force. I attack next with my own kick-punch combinations and he counters rather successfully. We trade blocks, punches, and kicks, each of us scoring points here and there.

Every once in a while, we step back from each other to regroup and reassess. He doesn't seem to be in pain or out of breath—he shoots me a smile every now and then--same ol' Tommy I've always enjoyed going up against. But during one of these pauses I realize something—he's not throwing any of his aerial moves that had been his bread and butter when we were rangers. I had come to expect that triple jump spin kick of his every time we fought in the past, but now he's keeping to basic kicks and strikes.

The one thing that's new to his style is an infusion of what I believe to be Muay Thai. Good thing he's pulling those knee strikes or I'd be down for the count by now. Even at 40% though, those kicks to the thigh are hurting! After a particularly hard one, I can't help but go down on one knee. He looks at me for a few moments and then extends a hand to help me up.

"You okay, Froggy?" he asks somewhat suspiciously. I'm not faking, I promise.

"Yeah . . . but that one's gonna leave a mark," I say while wincing. Looking up at him, I catch a strained look that is probably hiding pain. "What say we declare you the winner while I can still walk?"

"If that's what you want." It is, trust me. I would hate to feel that kick at 100% . . . or as close to it as he can get. I know he's supposed to be hurt and in constant pain, but he just kicked my ass. Not sure whether I'll admit that to anyone, though.

We make our way back over to the porch where Trent and Kira have been watching the match. The boy gives Tommy a congratulatory look . . . yeah okay, I lost.

"Umm . . . forgotten how good he is?" Kira asks me with a grin.

"No . . . I was sparring with him when you were in grade school. I just don't have to defend against Thai kicks most of the time." Turning to Tommy, "When did you start practicing Muay Thai?"

"A couple of years ago—wanted to try something different. It's pretty effective."

"No shit," I say, rubbing my left thigh.

He giggles at me and then takes a long drink of water. "Let's clean up here and get something to eat."

"You guys wanna stay for lunch?" he asks Kira and Trent as we pick up the mats.

"Ummm, well . . ." Kira says and looks at Trent who shrugs and nods. "Sure . . . if it's not too much trouble."

"It's not. I kinda miss having teenagers eating me outta house and home . . . but don't tell Connor that!"

"We're not teenagers anymore, though. Granted, we're closer to it than you guys are, but . . ." Kira pokes at Tommy. Her eyes just gleam when she looks at him—boyfriend there has _got_ to notice that.

"Whatever . . ." Tommy groans and rolls his eyes at her.

Just as we get inside the back door, he turns to me. "Adam, why don't you go ahead and shower while I fix lunch. I'll shower afterwards."

"Okay, that'll work. How's your hot water?"

He gives me an odd look. "Fine, why?"

"Just don't freeze me," I say with a grin and go off to get my clean clothes. Now that I've calmed down a little, I'm starting to feel some of the bumps and bruises I just got. Undressing confirms it. Man, I had forgotten what sparring with Tommy can do to a person. I'd also forgotten how much fun it was. We'll have to do that again soon.

After I've enjoyed the hot water for a while, I get out and dress. Damn, is that my stomach making that noise? Hope lunch is ready. Entering the kitchen, I see that it is.

Tommy and the kids have put together big, deli-looking sandwiches complete with chips and even a pickle. Beats the hell outta my usual lunch—Hot Pockets.

"Man, you always eat like this, T?"

"Why? What's so special?"

"Just alotta food, that's all."

"Gotta eat enough—otherwise I start losing weight pretty quickly."

And losing weight for him is losing muscle—there's no fat on him. Bet he sinks like a rock in the swimming pool.

"So Adam how's the dojo in Angel Grove?" Kira asks as we're all sitting down at the table.

"Pretty good, actually. I just hired another guy to help me teach so that makes three of us now. Plus, my old friends Rocky and Jason help me out some."

"How many students do you have?" Trent asks.

"Ummm, around 20-25 kids and about 10 adults. Some of the kids are the children of people that Tommy and I went to high school with."

Tommy looks up. "Really? Wow . . ." and he shakes his head.

Kira gets that grin again but before she can make an age-related comment, Tommy cuts her off. "Kira . . . none of your wise-ass remarks."

"Damn," she mutters and grins.

Those two are cute together. Maybe she's not too young for him after all—I think she said she's twenty-one and he's only a little older than me . . . And I know one thing, if Tommy showed her the least bit of encouragement she'd drop Trent like a bad habit. Sorry kid . . . but you don't stand a chance against the doc here. Maybe I'll talk to him about it later. Despite his insistence that he's fine, I know he must get lonely.

Once we've finished eating, Tommy gets up and starts clearing the table like the good host he is.

"Tommy . . . here, let me get that. You put it together, let me clean up," I offer.

"No, you're my guest."

"Oh stop—go get in the shower while I take care of this."

He looks at me for a moment, but then gives in and starts out of the room. "I won't be long," he says from the stairs.

I pick up the plates quickly and head to the sink. It occurs to me that this is the perfect time to try and get some information out of the kids.

Going back over to the table, I sit and fix them with a serious look. "Guys, tell me what you know about Tommy's condition."

There it is—a flat-out request, almost a demand—let's see 'em wiggle out of this one.

They exchange a glance. "Well, ummm . . . what has he told you?" Kira hedges.

"Come on now, don't answer my question with another question. Just please tell me what you know. I'm worried about him . . . and I'm not the only one." I hope my sincerity shows.

"Well, it happened when we used all our powers together to defeat Mesogog," Trent starts. I guess he feels he can trust me.

"It took everything the gems had to do it—completely burned them out. We were all fine afterwards—tired, but fine—until a day or two later. Each of us felt the effects—achy, sore, headaches, even some memory lapses—but it hit Dr. O the worst. By the second day after the battle, he was having headaches so bad they made him dizzy and nauseous, shooting pains in his back and legs, and he was even a bit disoriented."

I'm trying to keep my reactions in check, but it hurts me to hear about my friend in that much pain. When Trent sees my expression though, he stops and tries to figure out how to continue. Talking about this is obviously upsetting to him as well.

"He was the strongest among us—physically and mentally—so we couldn't understand it. We kinda thought it was because of his age, but that really didn't make sense. He was only twenty-six or so at the time. Hayley is the one who came up with the idea that it could be because of his previous powers. She ran every test on him that she could think of—even made up a few, I think."

"How'd she ever get him to agree to all that?" I ask. Tommy has never been one to sit still and be poked and prodded like a lab rat.

He grins slightly. "You don't know Hayley. She can be quite convincing."

"More like a force of nature," Kira adds.

"Seriously though, he wasn't in much shape to resist. He was having migraines and muscle spasms so bad he couldn't get out of bed for two or three days. We all tried to take care of him the best we could. He really didn't want to go to the ER if it could be avoided. He said that he was sure he'd show some strange signs and produce some readings that would land him in a laboratory with wires coming out of his head. He was probably right. So finally, Conner and I carried him from his bed down to the lab so that Hayley could run her tests. He was only semi-conscious by then."

My eyes grow wide at that. I've seen Tommy go through a lot, but I've never seen him that bad off.

"Didn't you guys call any of his friends or his family?"

"Hayley didn't want to worry his parents until she had some idea of what to tell them. She did call Jason, though—he was here in like 45 minutes . . . seriously."

I remember that it takes an hour and a half to drive from Angel Grove. Damn, Jase.

"Without him, we wouldn't have been able to do much with Tommy. Even in excruciating pain, he's really strong-willed, as I'm sure you know—as long as he's conscious, he's fighting," Kira adds.

"Oh yeah, I know."

"So Jason comes in and pretty much takes over—kinda pissed Hayley off, but he got the job done. Told, not asked—_told_ Dr. O. what was gonna happen. He bundled him up and took him directly to the ER. He busted some heads and got him seen in less than a half hour."

"Well, he _is_ a paramedic, ya know." I can't help but grin. That's Jase for ya.

"He made up some cock and bull story about Dr. O. being an innocent bystander, but getting hurt in the final battle with Mesogog. Told them about the spasms, the migraines, the nausea, the possible head injury, the cracked ribs . . ."

"Wait . . . head injury?"

"Yeah, but it turned out to be only a minor concussion."

"Didn't his helmet protect him better than that?"

"It did pretty well . . . he still has a head!" Kira stresses.

"See, what happened was this," Trent continues. "Mesogog had mutated further into this purely animalistic form—and gained a lot more power in the process. He was huge. During the fight, Dr. O. ended up face to face with _it_—not more than 10-15 feet. The monster blasted him hard, point blank . . . into a car. Afterward, he . . . he didn't get up for a while. We tried to get to him, but that only left the four of us fighting that creep and we couldn't get over there. Honestly, I thought he was dead—he didn't move for quite a while."

Kira shakes her head and looks visibly upset by the memory. So does Trent. It's easy to see that they both care an awful lot about Tommy.

"He finally managed to get up and we eventually combined the gems like I told you before. So that's where the injuries came from. Hayley says he's had his powers changed or ripped from him too much."

"When you guys first got here, you started to say something about what Hayley thinks before he cut you off with 'I know how my body feels'. What were you gonna say?"

The kid looks at his girlfriend and then back at me. Come on, don't clam up on me now.

"We've told him the rest . . . we may as well tell him everything," Kira offers. Smart girl.

"Dr. O.'s gonna have our heads."

"Me and Jase will handle him . . . tell me."

"Well . . ." he starts slowly. I can tell he really doesn't want to tell me this. Tommy must've put the fear of God in them.

"The last time Hayley ran her scans she decided that we needed to be told about the results. Dr. O. didn't want to tell us, but she convinced him that we deserved to know." Looking down at the table, he stops and sighs. I don't like where this is going.

"She says that his condition is deteriorating—it's been getting worse for three years now, but lately it's sped up—she doesn't know why. He's been working out like a man possessed, trying to stay ahead of it . . . Hayley says it won't work."

"What does she think will happen?"

"She's not exactly sure. She said the pain would definitely get worse and there's a possibility of several things—numbness or burning in his back and legs, muscle weakness, loss of motor control . . ." he trails off. When he continues, his face and voice become even more serious than I thought possible for a kid his age. "Eventually . . . it could paralyze him."

I feel like I've just been punched in the gut. "Oh no . . ." I can't do anything but sit and gape at them for what seems like ages. This can't be happening to Tommy . . . it just can't. "When did she tell you all of this?"

"I guess it was about six weeks ago—maybe two months at the most," Kira responds.

"Did anyone tell Jase?"

"We didn't. I don't know about Hayley . . . or Dr. O. for that matter."

If Jase knew about this and didn't tell me . . . I'm already gonna have to have a loooong talk with him when I get home.

"What does his doctor say?"

"I don't know—he doesn't talk about it," Kira answers.

"Except for some back pain, he seems fine. Didn't seem to have a problem at all kicking my ass out in the backyard a little while ago," I say. How much can he be hiding?

Trent grins but then gets serious again. "I know. It's hard to tell exactly how he is because he's so good at keeping things from us. We know he has a fair amount of pain, but how much and exactly how bad it is, we don't know."

"I know he was having a bit of a hard time yesterday and it seemed to get worse as the evening went on. By the time he went to bed, his back was in knots. When I asked him about it, he said that yesterday was a '4 on the pain scale' and that sometimes it gets worse. He also said that a '10' was a trip to the ER and the last time that happened it wasn't pretty. Do you know what happened? He wouldn't tell me."

Kira looks from me to Trent and back again. I guess it's her turn to spill.

"Yeah, we happened to be here when things got bad," she starts. "All afternoon, we could tell that he was in pain; for once he couldn't really hide it. But he was okay, ya know—didn't seem to be anything he couldn't handle—and he kept insisting that he didn't need his medicine. He said that he was afraid of becoming too dependant on the pain killers. Well, we tried to get him to sit down and relax and eat something, but he wouldn't—said his stomach felt weird and that sitting only made him stiff. I think he felt something coming on, but either he didn't know what to do about it or he was just trying to will it not to happen, I don't know." Kira takes a deep breath and slowly shakes her head.

"We were in the kitchen when we heard him fall. We ran into the living room and found him on the floor, nearly curled up into a fetal position--he was shaking and groaning—it was like all of his muscles tightened up on him at once—he couldn't relax."

"Was it a seizure?" I ask. What she's describing sounds exactly like one.

"No, we thought that at first too, but you could tell by his face that that wasn't what was wrong. He could talk a little bit and he was aware of what was happening—not like with a seizure. It was muscle spasms, really bad ones that you could almost see. They were so severe that they made him throw up, so we kept him on his side and tried to help him as much as we could. After a couple of minutes, Trent called an ambulance because he seemed to be getting worse and we didn't know what else to do."

The memories were obviously painful for her—evidenced by the couple of tears that spilled down her cheeks. Trent put his arm around her to try to give her some comfort as he picked up the recollection from there.

"It only took the EMTs about five minutes to get here, thank goodness. We told one of them everything we knew about what had happened while the other two worked on him. After about fifteen minutes, they took him to the hospital and we followed in my car. They must've given him some powerful muscle relaxers or sedatives—or both—because by the time we got to see him, he was out cold and stayed that way until the next day."

"How long was he in the hospital?" I ask. Jase has to have known about this. When I get a hold of him . . .

"Just overnight. He seemed pretty much okay the next day when he came home. He said he felt like he'd been stepped on by the Brachiozord, but other than that he was fine."

"And this was when?"

"About six weeks ago—that's what prompted Hayley to run that last battery of tests on him."

I nod. "He's been up there a long time—I think I'll go check on him," I say as I get up and head toward the stairs. Visions of what the kids had described, plus the thought of Tommy being paralyzed, come together to tie my stomach in knots. This can't happen—there's got to be a way to stop this. But why won't he try harder to help himself? Why hasn't he had Billy or Andros contact Eltar or Aquitar or even Triforia? This doesn't make any sense. Determined to talk to Hayley, the aforementioned Mr. Cranston, or any other genius I can dig up, I head toward Tommy's bedroom.

Peeking inside the door, I see him sitting on the end of his bed, hair still wet, wearing only boxers. He's holding his head in his hands.

"Tommy? You okay?" I'm suddenly alarmed. I move quickly over to the bed and kneel down in front of him. Reaching up and placing a hand on his shoulder, I ask, "What's wrong?"

Those big, brown eyes come up to meet mine and I can tell he's had to take some pain killers—his eyes are a bit glassy.

"I'm okay—just letting my medicine take effect."

"Are you sure? You didn't get hurt while we were sparring, did you?"

He gives me a smile. "No, I'm alright. You might have to drive today though."

He sounds fine—not slurring his speech or anything. "Not a problem. Need some help getting dressed?"

He shoots me a strange look and then smiles again. "Sure, why not?"

At least he's letting me help, but I have a feeling he's just humouring me. I want so bad to talk to him about what the kids told me, but I know I can't. Not right now, anyway.

Once he's dressed in jeans and a well-fitting long-sleeved t-shirt, we go back downstairs. Trent and Kira are still at the table talking quietly. They get up when we come in.

"We're going out for a while, guys," Tommy says.

Kira walks over to him and rubs his arm. "You feeling alright?" She looks up into his eyes, wanting the truth.

He smiles warmly at her and touches her shoulder. "Yes, I'm okay. Stop worrying, mother hen."

"Can't . . . sorry." She turns to me. "Take care of him." I get the feeling that was not a request.

"I will." She really is sweet. Reminds me of the way Tanya used to be with us guys back in the day—the girls are always the caregivers and worriers of the team. Kim was like that too. Ewww, better not bring that name up, though . . . not sure how that stands with Falcon here.

We all leave the house together and Tommy and I climb into my SUV.

"Where to, boss?"

"Still wanna go by the school?"

"Sure, just tell me how to get there."

Leaving his driveway, I follow his turn-by-turn directions until I see the sign for Reefside High.

"That didn't take long."

"No, it's really not that far from my house—as long as you know the shortcut."

We drive slowly around the school until he shows me where to park.

"That's my classroom right there on the corner," he says, pointing. "Down there are the sports fields—soccer and baseball over there and football back over that way a little further."

"You said it's about the same size as A.G.H., right?"

"Yep, grades 9-12. It's one of three high schools in Reefside—this one's the oldest."

It looks it by the style of the buildings, but it's well-kept. After a little more walking around, we head back to the car. He seems fine—doesn't act like he's in pain at all. I know he took his medicine before we left the house, but he really seems like his old self. Could Hayley be wrong? Granted, from what I know of her that'd be like Billy being wrong, but still . . . first time for everything.

"Let's get this shopping thing over with, okay?" he says with a grin. Do any guys really like to shop?

He directs me to the highway and I see the whole downtown area of the city. It's definitely bigger than Angel Grove, but not too big. I like what little I've seen so far.

"Next exit, and then turn right. The mall is on the left," he directs.

"Gotcha."

After getting into the parking lot, I head toward what looks like one of the main entrances.

"Don't park here, this is the food court—AKA teenager magnet. Drive on around, I'll show you a better place."

"You seem to be popular—why do you avoid them?"

"A little too popular, I think. And I can't understand it—I make my tests as painful as possible," he grins. "But seriously, if they see me I'll have to stop and talk because you know I'm too nice for my own good."

"Yeah . . . you were so _nice_ to me earlier that I think I've got a monster-sized bruise developing on my thigh."

He grins sheepishly. "Sorry." And then after a pause, "Thought you were tougher than that . . ."

"Asshole."

"Rat bastard."

"You owe me a rematch anyway—don't get too cocky. Oh wait . . . too late . . . you've always been too cocky."

First he looks offended and then he tries to look innocent—it isn't working. "Me?"

"Oh come off it . . . yes, you."

"At least I can back it up," he laughs and winks.

Chuckling, I give him a look. "I've missed you."

"Same here. Park over there," he smiles and points at an area near a small entrance.

After looking through three men's stores and stopping to talk to two different groups of his students, we finally find some clothes that are to his liking. He grabs three pairs of slacks and heads toward the dressing room to try them on. As I watch him I notice a distinct limp.

"You okay, bro?"

"I'm fine, just a little catch in my knee." He's lying, even I can tell that.

"Let me know if you need any help, okay?" I offer quietly and then immediately regret it.

"Thanks 'Mommy', but I think I can still dress myself," he replies in a sarcastic tone. After a couple of steps he turns back to me. "Sorry . . . I . . . I'll let you know."

I gotta stop it—he's a grown man. I don't know why I'm suddenly acting like his nursemaid.

A few minutes later he appears from inside the fitting room.

"What do you think of these?" he asks, turning from side to side in the mirror.

"Nice. What do you think?"

"I don't know. Let me try the others," he says and disappears once again behind the door reappearing once again in a couple of minutes.

"I like these better, but do you think they're too tight?" he asks, again turning and examining his reflection in the big mirror.

"Umm, no. I think they're fine."

"I wouldn't mind watching you write on the blackboard all day in those pants," a female voice comes from a few feet away.

I look over to see a young, pretty redhead giving Tommy an amused but clearly interested look. He immediately turns three shades of red. I can't help it, I'm laughing…in fact, I'm laughing so hard I have to hold onto the clothes rack in front of me. The expression on his face: priceless.

"Uhhh . . . hi Megan," he says in a low voice while shooting me a 'shut the hell up' look.

"Hey Dr. O! I thought that was you. Replacing those pants that Alyssa ruined last week?" she giggles.

"As a matter of fact, yes." He's still trying to regain his composure. So am I.

"Well you sure can't go wrong with those! See ya Tuesday!" she adds before turning and walking away, pleased with herself that she'd made her teacher blush.

Tommy's standing there shaking his head. Just when I think we've gotten past this little incident, I hear a voice come from nearby.

"Personally, I think they make your ass look big."

Tommy snorts in reply, "Least I got an ass."

"Uh huh, but in 10 years I won't have to wear a sign that says 'Wide Load'," the brash young man says. Judging by the banter, he and my friend must know each other pretty well.

"No, you'll be wearing one that says 'Beware Cracks in Roadway' or 'Uneven Pavement Ahead'." He shakes his head. "Shouldn't you be out having fun instead of embarrassing me?" Tommy asks.

Grinning at him unrepentantly, the young man I have yet to be introduced to says, "Who says that embarrassing you isn't fun?"

Then something clicks. "You've got to be the TA," I declare.

Tommy groans, having momentarily forgotten that I was over here listening. "Adam Park, I'd like you to meet my teaching assistant, Kyle Sorensen. Kyle, this is Adam. We went to high school together."

An eyebrow lifts above piercing blue eyes. "High school, huh? Guess that means you've got lots of good stories that I can use to weasel time off with."

I shake my head. "For after school embarrassment maybe, but not for use during class."

"I can live with that." He turns back to Tommy. "What's a good time for me to swing by and pick up some of the mid-terms?"

"Depends, what did he say yesterday?"

Kyle shoots a look at his mentor, then over to me and back again, then blushes slightly and shakes his head. "I'd rather not go into that here." He shoots another glance at me before meeting the penetrating chocolate eyes of Dr. Thomas Oliver.

"Monday afternoon, you meet me at Hayley's. Be there by 3pm or I'll find you, understand?"

The dirty blonde head shakes. "Can make it around 1 or after 5."

Tommy frowns and starts to put a hand on the younger man's shoulder, but the growing tension is broken by a cell phone going off. All three of us automatically check our phones.

"It's mine. Just a text." Kyle states, reading it and breaking into a grin before texting something back. "I'd like to stay and play this game some more, but I have to go."

A snort comes from Tommy. "Let me guess, places to go, things to see and people to do?"

A lecherous grin is formed by the younger man. "You forgot assholes to ream." He winks then walks out without another word.

I'm quiet for a moment, then I clear my throat. "So is he always like that or was this just something special for my benefit?"

"No, unless he's in the classroom or sometimes the Cyberspace, that's pretty much how Kyle is all the time." He sighs and looks again at the pants he's trying on, then turns back to me. "Do these make my ass look big?"

I can't help but laugh at that. "No, they look fine. He was just pulling your chain."

"Okay. Well I think I'll get a couple of pairs of these and call it a day for the shopping thing."

Several minutes later when he hasn't reappeared from the dressing room, I begin to wonder what's keeping him.

"Tommy? Where are you?" I call quietly as I venture into the fitting room.

"I'm in here. Be out in a sec," I hear him say from behind the door to my right. His voice sounds strained.

"Are you okay? You don't sound right."

"I'm fine . . . my back just tightened up on me a little, that's all."

Once he opens the door, I can see it on his face--he's hurting. If I make a big deal out of it though, he'll just blow me off.

"So, are we done here?"

"Yeah, I think so. Anything you want to look for?"

"No, I'm good."

"Alright then, I'll pay for these and we can get outta here."

At the register, I watch as he starts massaging his lower back with a grimace on his face.

"Still hurting?"

"Yeah, it won't loosen up. Guess I need to take a muscle relaxer."

"Why don't we get some takeout and just go back to your place? We can go out to eat tomorrow if you want."

"Sounds good. We could rent some movies and get a pizza, if that's okay with you."

"Fine. And I can massage that for you once we get back to the house—looks like you need it." I reach up and place a hand on his shoulder. It really bothers me to see him like this.

"It would definitely help, I think," he says as he grimaces again.

We manage to make it out of the mall without being stopped by any more of his students and I follow his directions to the downtown area. According to him, there's a great pizza place down here with a Blockbuster Video right next door.

Parking in front of the video store, I get out of the car and wait for him, momentarily forgetting about his back. I look over to see him struggling to stand up straight.

"Oh damn Tommy, I'm sorry. I should have helped you," I say as I quickly move over to take his arm.

"No, it's okay. Once it starts like this, it's hard to go from sitting to standing. Once I'm up, I'm okay."

After choosing a couple of movies and going next door to put in our order for a huge supreme pizza, he suggests another stop.

"Hayley's is right around the corner. Why don't we go over there and grab some coffee while we wait on the food."

"Are you sure you feel like walking over there?"

"Yeah. I'd rather do that than sit down here and not be able to get back up once the pizza's ready."

"Okay then, let's go."

Walking into the Cyberspace a few minutes later, we can't help but notice that the place is nearly empty and there's the distinct smell of burnt rubber lingering in the air. As soon as Tommy spots Hayley, he has to ask.

"Everything okay, Hales? What's that awful smell?"

"Depends on your definition of okay. Since two of my employees just tried to burn the place to the ground, I'd have to say no," she says loudly and in the direction of the door that leads to the back.

"Okay, for one: Josey just tried to destroy her credit cards in the grinder. Two: I didn't know she had done it," a voice floated in from the back room. "Sheesh, it's not like I enjoyed screeching like a girl and whacking my head on the cabinet when the thing started shooting sparks and smoking."

I snicker and then lean over a bit towards Tommy. "That kinda sounds like your buddy, Kyle."

Hayley raises an eyebrow at both comments. "Trust me, I didn't enjoy your screeching either. Thankfully, I don't have any glass that would shatter at ranges that high."

"Oh, ha ha. You think you're so frickin funny." The aforementioned Kyle comes out, a tray of filled coffee bags in his hand, only to come to a stop. "Damn." He looks at Hayley. "Could have told me that someone was out here."

She grins. "And miss the chance to see you blush? I don't think so."

"Are you moonlighting on me?" Tommy says with a raised eyebrow.

Hayley laughs softly. "You're just now figuring that out? He's been doing it for almost a year."

"Thanks Hales, really appreciate being ratted out." Kyle rolls his eyes and sets the tray down before going into the back and returning with several pre-filled filters in a holder. "Keep it up and I won't keep making this."

She throws a dishrag at him. "Don't even threaten that, mister. That stuff almost sells better than the regular blends. So, until you tell me what all is in it, you're not going anywhere."

He looks at Tommy. "And I thought some of the rules you gave me were bad." He hooks a thumb at Hayley. "Should have seen her face after she tasted the first cup and then I refused to give her the recipe."

A light dawns and I start laughing. "Oh lord, 'Kyle Surprise'."

The Kyle in question just shakes his head and makes us all fresh cups of the brew. "At least no one else was in here when all of that happened."

Tommy frowns at him. "You couldn't have come up with a better name?"

"That's Hayley's doing, not mine." He looks at his watch. "Well, as fun as it's been, I've got to get going." He tosses his apron at Hayley, then nods at Tommy and me. "It was nice to meet you Adam. Later Tommy." Moments later he's gone, leaving the three of us alone.

Grinning and shaking my head, I say, "That boy is weird."

"You don't even know the half of it," Tommy says, taking a long drink from his cup. "Damn but that stuff really is good."

Hayley nods. "Now you know why I keep trying to get him to give me the recipe."

"Good luck with that. Kid's more stubborn than a mule."

"Oh and you've got room to talk, have you? At least he does what his doctor tells him," the redhead directs at Tommy.

"What? I do what I'm told . . . sort of."

"Hmpf," Hayley snorts. "You're a little too free with your interpretation of what the man tells you, I'm sure."

I have to laugh. "Think she's got you there, T."

"And how would you know?"

"Come on Tommy, I can bet that your doctor has told you to take it easy, but I can tell by looking at you that you're not."

"He told me that it was fine for me to work out. If I let myself get weak and flabby, it'll be that much worse on me."

Hayley rolls her eyes. "Still, at least Kyle actually rests when he's supposed to, like . . ." she stops in mid-sentence. Guess there's something I'm not supposed to know. I'll have to ask Tommy when we're alone.

"Since I'm all alone now, why don't you guys stay and keep me company? What brings you down here this afternoon anyway?"

"Ah, can't. We're waiting on a pizza from Consenza's—decided that would be better than going out to eat tonight. We were at the mall shopping earlier."

She looks surprised. "You? Shopping? You've gotta be kidding me." She motions at the barstools, wanting us to sit. Tommy shakes his head slightly.

"Better not—might not be able to get back up."

"Did you take your medicine?" she asks with a caring but stern tone.

"I took something for pain before we left the house, but it wore off too fast. I'll take a muscle relaxer when I get home." He looks at his watch. "Sorry, we need to go. The food should be ready by now."

We say our goodbyes and head back over to the restaurant and collect our dinner for the evening. Once that's done, we head back to his house. As soon as we get in the car, my curiosity gets the best of me.

"So...tell me what's going on with your weird little TA."

T sighs. "Kyle's had it kind of rough, healthwise."

"Oh? I mean, he's thin but he looks healthy enough."

"He was bit by a rattlesnake as kid. Messed his system up." He pauses. "Ever heard of hemolytic anemia?"

"No...sounds pretty serious."

"It can be. From what he told me, the spleen pretty much kills healthy red blood cells. It even caused his spleen to be enlarged. He had to avoid anything that could cause injury to his organs, like contact sports such as football or the martial arts. Senior year, a bully slammed him into a locker. Ruptured his spleen with the impact."

My eyes widen. "Damn . . . what happened?"

"Ethan, my blue, found him and came to get me. I called an ambulance and they got him to the hospital. Between me and Ethan, we got Kyle thru his senior year study wise, but it left him permanently anemic. He swims for exercise, but that's about it. Every three months he goes in for tests, which is where he was Friday."

"So that's what you and he were talking about at the mall earlier. I see."

"Yeah, based on what the docs tell him, I kind of ration out how much he does for me." He frowns. "Although I didn't know that he was also helping Hayley out."

"The work you give him can't be all that strenuous, can it?"

Tommy chuckles softly. "No, but Kyle's kind of like me once he gets into something."

"Oh, you mean buries himself up to the neck in it and doesn't know when to quit?"

A soft blush creeps into his features. "Yeah, something like that, but he's got a schedule that he has to stick to pretty hard."

"So that's why he keeps checking his watch and disappearing. That makes sense. So, is he still sickly?"

"His counts are still really low, which is why he's so pale. They've got him on a seriously strict diet to try and keep his iron levels up. He also takes a couple meds to keep his immune system going." He grins. "Keeps the female teachers at school busy with something else to do, at least the older ones, besides always worrying about me."

"I'm sure they're all over you as well," I grin.

"That's the younger ones. Although, some of the same ones that mother Kyle try to do the same to me."

I can't help but laugh. "Between the attention you get from the other teachers and your students, I still don't understand why you're single."

He shrugs. "Just haven't found the one for me. Although, I've had a couple tell me that I was trying to rob the cradle."

"Oh? What were you doing?"

He blushes again. "Nothing. Some of them seem to think that I'm trying to date Kyle."

I nearly choke on my coffee. "What? That's crazy!"

"Tell me about it. Principal Randall even talked to us about it. Kyle actually fell out of his chair laughing. I was almost offended . . . I mean, I'm not completely unattractive."

I can't help but laugh at the affronted look on my friend's face.

Tommy shakes his head. "When Kyle finally settled, he told her that while he didn't find me ugly, it would be like dating his brother."

"Oh my god. Well, I hope it all got straightened out after that." After a pause I have to add, "And no . . . you're definitely not completely unattractive."

"Yeah, it all got worked out. He still razzes me about it, which is why he makes comments like he did at the mall." He cocks an eyebrow at me. "Really? Think so?"

I clear my throat. I knew I shouldn't've said that. "Tommy my friend, you may be a lot of things, but unattractive isn't one of them."

"Thanks Adam." He grins. "Just don't let Kyle hear you say that. Think he was bad today? Give him ammunition."

"Sounds like a certain former red ranger I know."

"Sometimes I wonder what would happen if Jase and Kyle ever met."

"Oooooh that could get ugly; especially if they ganged up on somebody."

"Or started a prank war, like Rocky did that one year with Jase."

Adam shudders. "Don't even think that. I'm still trying to get the image of a bald Rocky out of my head."

Tommy laughs. "Least it was Nair and not something else."

"True. Well, at least the kid has you looking after him."

"Yeah, he's a good kid and he'll make a great teacher." He pulls his wallet out as we turn into his driveway and shows me a picture of Kyle taken during his senior year. "He's changed a bit."

"Wow, no kidding. What happened to him in college?"

"His mom died his freshman year. Drunk driver hit her head on." He puts the picture away. "First day I saw Kyle when he was starting his time with me, he was trying to get an earring out of his ear. I about died of shock when I realized who it was."

"That poor kid. So he sorta did a complete 180 between high school and college. I guess I can understand that."

"Sorta. He's still the same person, just a bit more relaxed and open, I guess you could call it."

"So I take it that he's either gay or bi, am I right?"

"He's gay and makes no bones about it. Don't think he's seeing anyone right now though."

"So you do have a shot after all. Just gotta keep him from seeing you as his big brother," I say, trying my best not to laugh.

"Keep it up. Remember, I know where you're sleeping."

I open the door and get out, quickly moving around to the other side to help him if he needs it. Glad I did. Tommy manages to get his legs out of the car okay, but he's having trouble standing up. I take his arm and help as much as he'll let me. I know this is hard on him—he's never been in bad shape like this before.

"Thanks Adam," he says, a soft blush coloring his cheeks.

"No problem, bro. You'll be fine once you take your medicine and rest a bit." I gotta try to make him feel more comfortable with me. I think that he thinks that I'm expecting him to act like we're 18 again—I know better than that.

We finally get into the house and we both change clothes and get ready to eat.

"Which movie you want to watch first?" I ask while he's getting the food and drinks ready.

"How about 'The Guardian'?" he calls from the kitchen.

"Sounds good." I put in the movie and we settle down on the couch to enjoy the fabulous-looking pizza that's in front of us.

We each have about three slices before slowing down a bit.

"You want a beer?" Tommy asks, getting up and heading toward the kitchen.

"You think it's a good idea with that medicine?"

"It's okay. I'm not gonna drink much," he says.

I don't know if I should believe him or not, but I guess its okay since I'm here to keep an eye on him.

"Sure, bring me one," I finally say.

*One movie, ¾ of an extra large pizza, and three beers each later*

"Put in the other movie, I'm too comfortable to move," Tommy says from his sprawled out position on the couch. The combination of food, beer, and medicine has mellowed him out something fierce.

"Sure." Getting up and finding the other DVD case, I slip "Casino Royale" into the player and retake my position in the recliner. I glance over at him to make sure he's still awake. I'm getting used to the way he looks now, but it's taking a while. The short, spiky hair doesn't throw me as much as the vividly-colored body art that's visible on his bare arms and boxer-clad legs. Of course, the actual size of the man is hard to miss. I never thought I'd see Tommy rivaling Jason for the most buff among us.

"What?" he asks with a grin when he catches me looking.

"Nothin' . . . just making sure you were still awake," I say, but I can't meet his eyes.

He smiles and turns his head back toward the TV at first, but then trains those eyes on me. "Ummm, I hate to ask, but . . . do you think you could rub my back for a few minutes?"

"Oh yeah, sure. Is it still hurting?"

"It's much better than it was earlier, but it still feels stiff."

"No problem," I say, kneeling beside the couch, waiting for him to turn over.

As soon as I touch his lower back, I can feel the knots that have developed there. I don't know how he stands it.

"Do you have any muscle rub? I think that might really help," I suggest as I watch him wince and grimace while trying to lie on his stomach.

"Yeah . . . there should be some in the bathroom," he answers with a little difficulty.

I go retrieve the tube of ointment and return to my knees beside him. "Okay, maybe this will make those muscles relax," I say as I'm rubbing it between my hands to warm it.

He flinches a bit as I rub into those sore spots but after a few minutes, he's more relaxed and so is his back.

"That better?"

"Oh yeah . . . that's amazing. Thank you," he sighs. He's getting sleepy—I can hear it in his voice.

"Any time." I get up and start toward the kitchen with the leftover pizza and some of the empty bottles. "You want anything while I'm going?"

"Another beer would be great."

I thought he wasn't going to drink a lot tonight. Well, I guess that depends on your definition of "a lot". He seems okay, so why not. I wash my hands to clean off the muscle rub and go back into the living room with two more beers. This is definitely the last ones of the evening.

Three-quarters of the way through the movie and we've managed to empty eight beer bottles between us. A quick glance over at the couch confirms my suspicion—Tommy is out like a light. I have a feeling I'm not going to last much longer either. If I can make it through the last part of the movie, then I'll help him up to bed and turn in myself.

For one of the later Bond films, this isn't bad. I still miss Sean Connery and Roger Moore, though. As the credits roll, I figure I need to go ahead and get up before I knock out right here. Pushing myself up and out of this extremely comfortable recliner, I straighten my boxers and t-shirt and move over to the couch to wake the sleeping prince here. I hate to do it, but he'll be more relaxed in his own bed.

"Tommy . . . Tommy . . . wake up, bro," I whisper while gently shaking him. Man, he is _out_. I don't know if I'm gonna be able to get him up without startling him. I try again.

"Tommy . . . come on man, wake up . . . Thomas Oliver." No luck. Okay, last chance. After this you can just sleep on the couch 'cause I'm about to drop off standing here.

I shake him a bit more forcefully. "Tommy . . ." Oh, what the hell. "Falcon . . ." Finally he groans and starts moving a bit. I can't believe that worked. "Come on, man . . . let's go to bed—uh, get you up to bed," I clarify. I'm glad he's too groggy to process that.

"Mmmmm . . . 'kay . . . gimme a sec," he slurs. Well, that's something at least.

He blinks several times and rubs his eyes with the back of his hands while stretching. "I guess I dozed off, huh?"

"Yeah, but I expected you to. Nobody can take a muscle relaxer, drink four beers, get a massage and stay awake. Can't be done," I grin.

He smiles back. "Sorry, man. Not a very good host am I?" he says while he's attempting to sit up.

I reach down, grab his arm, and help him to the fully upright position. "Ah, it's okay. I understand, bro. You ready to go upstairs?"

"Yeah," he moans while standing. I've still got his arm to help steady him. Slowly, we move toward the steps and he pauses at the bottom. "You're gonna have to help me, I'm afraid. Normally in this condition, I'd just sleep on the couch."

"Not a problem," I say and slip one arm around his waist and grasp the handrail with the other. "Take it easy, I won't let you fall."

He nods. Slowly we climb the seven or eight steps to the second floor and he goes into the bathroom before heading to the bed. I take that opportunity to straighten out the covers for him and when he comes out, I go in to brush my teeth—they're feeling a bit fuzzy. When I emerge, he's just sitting on the edge of the bed like he's waiting for something.

"T . . . you okay?" I ask, leaning over him and touching his shoulder. I had half-expected him to be curled up asleep by now.

He looks up at me with those big eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just didn't want to fall asleep on you before you even got out of the bathroom."

I chuckle. "I wouldn't have minded--I know how sleepy you are. Now lay down."

Helping him get under the covers and settled, I sit on the bed next to him for a minute.

"I'm not always this bad, ya know. Lucky you, you caught me during a bad spell," he says softly.

"I have bad spells too, Tommy. I understand."

"Bet you don't have trouble walking or getting out of bed during your bad spells, though."

"No . . . I just don't wanna get outta bed. Or go to work. Or see anyone. Or do anything. I just withdraw from everyone and everything. It's a different kind of pain, but pain all the same." I sigh deeply and hang my head for a second. When I look up at him again, the expression on his face is so . . . understanding . . . and caring . . . I can't look away.

He reaches over and touches my hand. "Why don't you stay in here tonight? Neither one of us needs to be alone right now and the bed is plenty big enough."

I'm a little surprised by the offer, but I give him a weak smile and a slight nod. "Okay . . . sure."

Climbing into the big, soft bed, I settle down on the other side, but find myself inching closer and closer to him. I've missed having someone next to me at night—just another warm body. I can feel myself getting extremely sleepy and know I won't be awake much longer.

"Thanks, Tommy. G'night."

"'Night," he says softly.

As I'm drifting off, I can't help but smile and realize how nicely I fit at his side.

A/N: Well, that's the 2nd chapter. The next chapter is already being written. We appreciate those of you that add the story as a favorite or put it in your alerts, however, reviews help keep us on track. Let us know what you like, what you don't like and such. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Hit that button down at the bottom of the page that says review. Please? With a Tommy and Adam on top?

If you would like something to read until the next chapter of 'Misery Loves Company' is ready for your perusal, check out 'Family Stands' by prophet144 or 'In His Eyes' by BeAWarriorCasseau.

Thanks again for reading!


	3. Breaking Ground

**Misery Loves Company**

**By**

**A Warrior's Prophet**

**Disclaimers****:** See Chapter 1.

**Author's Notes****: Just a friendly warning: This story will contain the death of a canon character—not saying who or when though.**

**Chapter 3—Breaking Ground**

Kyle slowly made his way the remaining half-mile to Tommy Oliver's house. It wasn't the first time that he'd been to 1992 Valencia Road, but it was the first time when the good doctor was least expecting him. Truthfully, if he did everything right, Tommy wouldn't even know that he was there.

Reaching the porch, he avoided the steps knowing that they both creaked. Instead, the side of the porch became his entryway as he crept carefully to the front door. After setting down the grocery bag and small fan, he removed a lock picking set and had the door open in less than a minute.

He listened at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor, needing to ensure that neither occupant of the house was awake. Once that had been verified, he crept to the kitchen and went to work.

Forty-five minutes later, Kyle unplugged the small fan that had made the trip with him and looked at his handiwork. Two trays sat on the counter and each one held a decent portion of scrambled eggs with diced ham, onion and green peppers. A sprinkle of cheese topped them and was accompanied by a side of bacon. Three pancakes sat on a smaller plate, the butter melting slightly down the sides. A small glass of orange juice sat in the corner of each tray and the carafe filled with hot coffee sat between both of them. Two small boats held different fruit compotes to top the buttermilk pancakes. One was strawberry, thinned slightly with some orange juice. The other was peach, sweetened slightly with a hint of caramel syrup. A small jug of warmed maple syrup sat slightly apart and completed the small bounty. A simple printed note was propped against the carafe that read "Good Morning. Please Enjoy."

Kyle sighed as he finished packing up. Everything was cleaned and put back, now all he had to do was make his getaway. He had even grabbed part of the research papers from the stack on Tommy's desk. If his appointment hadn't run over, he would have picked them up yesterday.

While he walked to the door, he realized that an apology would have worked just as well, however, that wasn't really his style. After he'd gotten home the night before, Kyle had realized that some of the stuff he had said to Dr. Oliver might not have been appropriate in front of his friend. While what had been said just reiterated the relationship he had with the older man, some of the words could have been taken the wrong way.

Deciding that it would be better to have Adam wake his mentor up in a nicer way that what Kyle had originally planned, he headed to the guest room. Quietly opening the door, he peeked inside and is surprised to find the bed empty. A sudden thought crosses his mind and he wonders if his former teacher 'got some' last night. Grinning, he went to the room at the end of the hall and carefully opened the door. His hand went up to cover his mouth to suppress the laugh that wanted out.

He decided this was too good of an opportunity to pass up and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Kyle quickly snapped a picture of the two men, Dr. O with his arm thrown across Adam's waist and Adam's head resting on his mentor's chest, their legs intertwined in sleep. He watched them for several minutes, noting how natural they looked together. Moving further into the room, he got closer so that he could get some better shots.

Adam started to wake slowly. He felt like he was being watched, but the slow heartbeat beneath his ear combined with the delicious warmth that was coming from his friend was threatening to lull him back into the depths of sleep.

Kyle noticed that Adam seemed to be waking up and decided to just knock on the front door like he originally planned. Leaving the room, he had the door almost shut when he suddenly sneezed. The sound echoed slightly and he groaned before making his way down the stairs. He barely paused to grab his bag before flinging the door open.

The sudden sound drove Adam from sleep, but it was the pounding of feet on the stairs that had him moving. Hitting the bottom, he barely registered the food spread out on the counter before going for the door, which was wide open. He could see a figure running and set off in pursuit.

When he grabbed the intruder by the shoulder as he caught up to him, he growled, "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doin'?!" and he forcefully turned him around. He realizes that it was Kyle and the first thing that ran through his mind was what Tommy had told him about the kid's health problems. He immediately let go. "Oh damn Kyle...I didn't realize it was you. You okay? Why were you running from the house?"

Kyle blushed hard. "Besides not wanting to get caught?"

"But...why run?"

"Cause the idea was to surprise you guys with breakfast to make up for what I said yesterday."

The word 'breakfast' swam around in Adam's mind looking for something to connect with. It finally rested on the picture in his mind of the spread he briefly saw before running out the front door. "You did all that? To make up for what?"

"Yeah, I did." He blushed again, then sighed, absently running a hand over the spot where Adam grabbed him. "I was a bit out of line yesterday at the mall. While it might be how I act around Tom-- uh, Dr. O at times, I shouldn't have done it in front of one of his friends."

Adam looked a bit surprised. "Oh...well...it wasn't that bad. We pick at him like that all the time."

"Maybe, but I've got six friends, Adam, and I don't want to alienate any of them by doing something I shouldn't." He looked back towards the house. "Should probably go in and wake him up. If he doesn't get moving soon, it'll take him longer."

"I don't know about that, but he'll be upset if he misses all that food!"

"Yeah well, remember I deal with him most mornings at school." He paused for a moment, then met Adam's eyes. "And you can't tell him that you caught me. He'll figure it out, trust me." He knew that he shouldn't have taken the papers yet, but there was no way that Tommy would let him after they talked. "I've gotta get going."

"Okay, I won't tell on you. But Kyle, don't startle me like that, okay? I might have hurt you and I'd feel really bad if I did that." He paused as another thought occurred to him. "And I know you haven't met Jase yet, but you really shouldn't surprise him, okay? Just for your own well-being."

"I'll try to keep that in mind." He let his gaze flick over Adam's body, noticing the taut muscles under the t-shirt that did nothing to really cover the older man. He grinned. "Nice boxers. Gotta tell ya, they wrap the package nicely."

Adam blushed crimson. "Tom told me you were always like that--guess I know now."

"And knowing is half the battle." He couldn't help the line from the original G.I. Joe cartoon and chuckled softly before growing serious again. "Yeah well, it's the truth. Now, if I could find someone that looked half as good as you, with the same sweet smile, it might just let me die happy." He winked at the other man. "I really have to go, but try to get Tommy to take you hiking. Trent says there's a beautiful waterfall a bit from here."

The older man was left almost speechless. "Ummm...okay," was about all he could manage.

Kyle laughed softly, then put a hand on Adam's shoulder. "One of two things is gonna happen. You'll get used to me, like Tommy has or you'll end up wanting to kill me every time I'm around." The alarm on his watch went off. "Enjoy breakfast." He winked at the other man again and broke into a jog, heading for his car. He'd already eaten, but he had meds to take before he could come back for part two of his plan.

Adam stood there for a moment and then thought he should probably get back in the house and get dressed. Besides, all that food was getting cold and he still had to wake up 'sleeping beauty'.

Going back into the house, Adam went into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. He took a drink and shook his head. _'Kid makes a decent cup of java.'_ He went upstairs and stood in the door for a moment, watching the man sleeping in the bed. He really hated to wake him, but they both needed to eat and it'd be a shame to let all that food go to waste. When he went over to the bed, he set his cup down and reached a hand out, gently shaking Tommy's shoulder. "Hey man, time to get up."

Tom groaned a little, but all that moved was his head. "Mmmm...what?" he said in a quiet, sleepy voice.

"Time to get up, bro." He shook him a bit harder.

"Awww...come on...five more minutes," he moaned and rolled over the other way, nearly pulling a pillow over his head.

Adam sighed, then pulled the covers off of Tommy. "Get up man." He picked up the cup and waved it close to his friend's head. "Wake up or I'm gonna drink all the coffee."

The delicious aroma of the stuff made it from Tom's nose to his brain in record time. "Mmmm...that smells good." Finally, the big brown eyes opened and he looked up at his friend. "There is some left, right?"

"Maybe, but you're gonna have to get up and come downstairs to find out."

Tommy stretched out to his full length on the bed and yawned. Adam caught himself looking up and down the man's form as he held onto his coffee cup. "Well?" he asked.

"I'm gettin' up, I'm gettin' up..._Mom_..." Tommy said sarcastically and sat up slowly. "Give me that," he said with a sly grin and reached out, taking Adam's cup out of his hand.

"Hey, that was mine and I've already drank out of it." He mock-glared at him. "Fine, but if you don't hurry up then breakfast is going to get cold. And it'd be a shame to let this spread go to waste."

Tommy turned his gaze up at his friend. "You're not poison, are ya? Thought not..." he said as he continued to drink Adam's coffee. "Spread?" he asked as that part of his friend's comment finally hit home. "Have you been busy this morning?"

"Me? No, I'm lucky if I can keep a Pop-Tart from burning at times. We had a ..." He paused for a moment to figure out how to phrase it so that he could keep his promise to Kyle. "...a mysterious benefactor. Now come on."

Giving a quizzical look, he allowed himself to be pulled up out of the bed and hurried toward the stairs. "Okay, I'm goin'...don't push," he chuckled as he descended the steps and went into the kitchen. "Wow...you weren't kiddin'...and you didn't do this?"

"Nope, like I said, it was a mysterious benefactor, but they did say that you'd know who it was once you thought about it."

"Hmmm...who do I know that can get into my house unannounced and who can also cook?" He started ticking off suspects. "Hayley...Kira...Kyle? I don't know...let me get some coffee in me and maybe I can think." He went over and refilled the stolen cup and also poured another one for Adam. "Here ya go...I owe you this," he grinned and handed over the steaming coffee.

Adam took it from him and took a long drink. "You know, this isn't just a simple blend." He picked up a tray, then debated over which of the two fruit toppings he wanted before settling on the peaches. Taking a bite he sighed. "Damn, that's good."

Tommy picked up the remaining tray and sat down at the table. "Good huh? I'm still not sure who our 'mysterious benefactor' is, but I'm sure I'll figure it out." Digging in, he had to agree with Adam. "This _is_ good! Now who could have..." he trailed off as he went back to eating.

Adam chuckled softly as he dug in. The eggs with the combo of peppers, onions, and ham topped with cheese were great. The bacon was crispy, but not burned and the pancakes were awesome. He was mostly done when he looked over at Tommy, who looked thoughtful. Chuckling softly, he grinned. "Still trying to figure out who might have done this? I mean, you've got it narrowed down to three at least."

"Yeah, I know...I'll get there...just give me a few minutes." Tommy stood and starting clearing the table, Adam jumping up immediately to help. Once the dishes were in the sink, they both refilled their cups and wandered into the living room. As Tom was headed toward the front door to retrieve the morning paper, he spared a glance into his study and saw that the light was on for some unexplained reason. Reaching around to flip off the light switch, he shrugged and went about his business. "Whatever."

After getting the paper from the front porch though, he stopped midway into the living room and then turned back and looked into the study--particularly in the direction of his desk.

"What?" Adam asked when he noticed Tommy acting strangely.

"Gotta check something..." he said and went into the other room and flipped the light back on. "Kyle!!" he growled loudly enough for Adam to hear.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'Kyle'? Think he's the one that made breakfast?"

Tommy reappeared in the doorway with an aggravated look on his face. "It had to have been...he also took half of the research papers that were on my desk!" he said in a stern tone. This was not good.

For a moment, Adam was confused until it clicked that Tommy had told him the day before that he rationed out the work to the kid, especially after a doctor's visit. "Is this because he hasn't told you what the doctor said yet?"

"Yep. The little shit's hiding something from me, I just know it. But how dare he take it upon himself to do that. I've gotta talk to that boy!"

"Look T., I know you two have an agreement about this kind of stuff, but maybe you should calm down a bit. You two seem to have a good thing going and I'd hate to see either one of you do something to wreck it."

"I'm not gonna wreck anything, I'm just not happy with him right now. I only try to keep him from doing too much because I worry about him. He doesn't know when to quit once he starts on something." Tommy continued to pace back and forth across the living room.

"Why don't we go workout for a bit? Get rid of some of the calories from that breakfast and then you can call him."

Tommy thought for a minute. "I guess so. I didn't mean to go off like that, but the little twerp just won't do what I tell him sometimes and it pisses me off." He stopped for a minute. "You wanna work out with the weight machines, spar, what?"

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Pot? Kettle." He shrugs. "We sparred yesterday and I have no desire to add another bruise to my thigh, so let's go for the weight machines. Then maybe we can get out of the house for a bit and go on a hike or something. Heard there was a waterfall around here."

"Waterfall? Yeah, there is. You wanna go up there?"

"Sure why not?"

"Well...okay. By the way, pot...kettle?" He gave Adam a confused look.

"Isn't you saying that Kyle doesn't do what you tell him kinda like you not always doing what you should?" He held up his hands. "I know that you can make your own decisions T., but that kind of makes what you said like the pot calling the kettle black."

"Ah, I see." Pausing for a moment, he finally said, "Adam, we went through this yesterday. I really do try to do what the doc tells me--regardless of what Hayley says. So, you ready to go work out?"

"All right, I believe you." He looked down at his boxers, then back at Tommy. "Let me get some clothes on, then yeah, we can workout. Kinda ran after our benefactor."

"You ran after Kyle? Why?"

Adam blushed. "He sorta surprised me. Heard someone on the stairs and went to check it out. They ran out of the house and I followed. That's when I found out who it was, but he made me promise not to tell you."

"You didn't hurt him, did you?"

"Not that I know of. I did grab him by the shoulder and spin him around, but he didn't cry out or anything. He rubbed his shoulder a bit later, but I'm not sure if it was from me grabbing him or something else."

"I guess he'll be okay. Anyway, let's go workout. Ready to get embarrassed?" he said with a wink and started upstairs to get changed.

"Oh please, let's not start that again. Besides, I think I'm all smacked out." He starts up behind Tommy, then grins and smacks the man on the ass. "Nope, had one left."

Tommy jumped slightly, a little surprised at having his backside assaulted like that. He turned with a wicked grin on his face. "Hey...at least buy me a drink first!"

Adam cocked an eyebrow. "Thought I did that last night."

"So you did. Well, what you like in return? You've already touched my ass and slept in my bed...what's next?" he grinned.

Adam blushed. "Why don't we just get changed so we can start lifting weights? After all, you've still got a waterfall to show me then we have to decide what to do about dinner."

_'Backing off now, huh? Damn, he's shy,'_ Tommy thought. He grinned and chuckled a bit to put his friend at ease. "Sorry...been around Kyle too much lately, I guess. Let's change and get to it."

"Yeah, I can see how hanging around him might rub off on you." He rolled his eyes. "Meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

Walking into the bedroom he was using, Adam got dressed then took a moment to sit down. '_Can't believe I was flirting with him like that.'_ He sighed. _'Might be interested, but I'm not ready yet. Trying something now wouldn't be fair to T.'_ Taking a deep breath, he got up and went downstairs to wait.

The workout went well, but they didn't wear themselves out too much--they still had a hike to get to. Once out in the backyard, the good doctor had pretty much put the thing with Kyle out of his mind. Walking along through the woods, they started talking about old times again. "Remember the camping trips we used to take back in high school? I haven't been camping in forever."

Adam adjusted the backpack containing lunch and water a bit, then snorted. "I haven't either. Just means I haven't gotten to see you flame a marshmallow and try to put it out by waving it around then flinging it onto Rocky's lap."

Tommy laughed. "Yeah, I never was much good with a marshmallow! Hey, since we're all back on this coast again, why don't we plan a weekend camping trip? That'd be a blast!"

Adam raised an eyebrow at him. "How about a BBQ instead? Not so sure that we could convince everyone to go camping anymore. Some of us have gotten used to running water and flushing toilets," he grinned. "Could have the BBQ up here since you have the yard for it."

"Good idea--we'll do that! When we get back to the house, we'll look at the calendar and start planning something."

"Sounds like a good idea. So, you still keep up with all the ranger teams?" A sudden thought hit him. "Hey, your TA doesn't know about that, does he?"

"Umm yeah, I try to keep tabs on everybody, but the sheer numbers and distance are making it difficult. They're getting pretty spread out, ya know. As for Kyle...I don't know, actually. He's given me some idea that he knows _something_, but...I don't know."

"And that's not really something that you can just come out and ask someone if they know about. Could definitely make for some interesting conversations in the future."

"No doubt." They walked along a little further, crossing a small stream. "The waterfall's just over there a bit further," Tommy directed. "I'm getting hungry again, you?"

"Actually yeah, guess the workout and the walk is helping with my appetite." He chuckled softly. "Just means we're really going to have to think about dinner."

"Oh, I've got some stuff at the house or we could always go out to get something. I'm feeling better today anyway. Thanks for the massages that you've been giving me--they've really helped."

"Well, I'm glad that I could help. Hate seeing my friends in pain and if the massages help, I'll give you as many as you want."

"I'd love to take you up on that...too bad you live an hour and a half away. But now that you're back in Angel Grove, we can definitely get together more often. Besides, I need to come down and see your school."

"Yeah you do. Maybe come down and scare some of the ones that might be trouble later on once they think they actually know something." He stopped as the waterfall came into view. "Did you buy this place knowing this was here?"

"No, actually. I sorta discovered it while I was out hiking one day." He paused. "You want me to come scare some of your students?"

He chuckled softly. "Figure if you and Jason spar a bit, they'll realize that they need to take what they're doing seriously. In a few months, they'll join my advanced class and I want to know that they're not going to abuse what I teach them."

Tommy gave him a sly grin. "Okay, that sounds like fun. I haven't beat Jase down in a while...he's due."

Adam rolled his eyes as he took a seat in a spot near the waterfall and opened the backpack. As he started pulling the sandwiches and stuff out, he couldn't help but notice the difference between how Tommy was moving today in comparison to yesterday. '_Wonder if yesterday was just a bad day or if the differences are really that big--he seems to be fine now.'_

Once they had eaten their lunch, hung out by the waterfall for a while and hiked a little further into the woods, they decided it was time to start back. Tommy thought that maybe he could get Adam to open up to him a little more now. "So, you never did tell me what all you did in Boston while you lived there. How'd you like it out there?"

Adam snorted. "About as much as I liked wondering when Rita, Zedd, or Mondo was going to attack next." He sighed. "Before we got married, Brooke asked me what I wanted to do for a living once I finished school. Told her I wanted to open a dojo of my own. She said that she wanted to go back to Boston, to be closer to her parents. Since mine were back in Korea visiting for a few years, I figured what the hell. Started kinda goin' downhill from there."

"Sorry to hear that. I know that you really wanted to run your own school--you'd been talking about that for years. You weren't able to do that out there?"

"No, after meeting her parents, I kind of got the impression that they really didn't like me. The thought of me running something as low-class as a dojo and supporting their daughter with it..." He looked over at Tommy. "You know me T., I like to be able to do things for myself. Brooke pretty much had everything handed to her. Once we moved to Boston, I learned that they had found us a place to live and Mr. McKinnon had a job lined up for me in his company. Pretty much told me that I was going to be starting on that next Monday. So for the past few years, I was in an office five days a week, wearing a suit and tie. I hated it."

The former ranger commander wrinkled his nose. "That's awful. I mean, I wear dress shirts and ties every day at school, but I chose that. I knew that was coming when I decided to become a teacher. Why did you let them push you around like that?"

"Because it made Brooke happy. Before we left Sacramento, I could tell that she wasn't happy. She started talking about going home after graduation and stuff. For a while, I thought she might not even go through with the wedding. So, because I wanted the person that, at the time, I thought I wanted to spend the rest of my life with happy, we moved. Then she told me how happy it would make her to have me work with her father." He sighed. "So I did. I mean, the money was good. That's why I was able to save up the money that I did, but I started dreading to go to work."

Tom looked down as he walked. He could tell that his old friend was upset by the subject matter. Adam had always been one to think of someone else before himself. The more he thought, the madder it made Tommy that Brooke could have cheated on and hurt him.

All at once, he stopped and took his friend by the shoulders. "Bro, I just want you to know something. You're way too good of a person to have been treated that way. You've always been a good friend to everyone and it really pisses me off that that little bitch and her family did that to you. Things are gonna get better from here on out--I just know it. You're running your own school like you always wanted and you're back with your friends. Hang in there, okay?"

Adam blushed slightly and nodded his head, then put a hand on T's shoulder. "Thanks Tommy." He was happy to let the subject matter drop. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he looked around, then frowned. "Umm, T. Are you sure we're in the right yard?"

Tommy looked around briefly. "Yeah doofus--mine is the only 'yard' out here. Why?"

"Because unless you wishing that 'your yard would just kind of die so you didn't have to get out there and cut it' came true, something's going on."

______________________

Kira had been easy to convince about helping out with the plans for a teacher's appreciation dinner for Dr. O. Trent had taken a little more convincing, but in the end he had agreed to help as well. Kyle had called them once he was sure that Tommy and his guest weren't coming back for a while. Then, he had made his way inside like he had that morning and went to work.

By the time Kira and Trent had arrived, dessert had already been made and was in the refrigerator to set. Nodding at the pair, he grinned. "Okay, so I'll handle the food. Pantry and cupboards have already been restocked as well as the liquor cabinet."

"The food I understand, but are you sure the alcohol was such a good idea?" Kira asked, setting down the cleaning supplies they'd brought.

"He would buy it anyway. Besides, I just dumped all the half bottles and left the new ones." Personally, he didn't drink, but was fine with people that did. As long as they didn't try to hit on him while drunk, then there would be problems.

Trent nodded. "So what do you need us to do?"

"Figure the guest room and Dr. O's room could use new sheets, the living room at least needs to be dusted as well as vacuumed and the yard could do with a bit of mowing."

"I'll help Kira with getting the sheets into the wash, then do the yard if you two will handle the stuff in here." Trent was more than happy to get out of the rest of the housework even if it meant mowing the lawn.

Kyle nodded. "That works. Dinner is a crock pot meal except for the salad, bread, and dessert. The dessert is already in the fridge and I should have the rest of the ingredients ready to go by the time you two get done. Then I'll help Kira finish up."

"Sounds like a plan, so let's get moving." With Kira's final words, the threesome set to work.

Turning back to the cutting board, Kyle finished chopping the carrots, onion and celery into pieces. The green beans had already been cleaned and snapped after he bought them. Some of them had been canned, but a few of them were fresh ones he was using for this dinner. The red potatoes were quartered and added to the pot along with the chicken stock.

He grinned. Sometimes it did pay to be pampered a bit by some of the older women teachers at the school. The canning of fresh fruits and vegetables was done for him by Mrs. Williams while Ms. Jenkins, a very motherly African-American woman from the South that had declared him too skinny, kept him supplied with various soups, stocks, and stews. Kyle never used them all and instead of having them go to waste, he'd brought a few over to use.

A little salt, thyme and basil were added to the pot before he added the chicken breasts and set it to high. He would turn the temperature down in a bit, but he wanted to make sure it would be done for Tommy and Adam when they got back. The salad only took him a few minutes to do and by that time, the lawn mower was running in the front yard. After washing his hands, Kyle went to help Kira with the rest of the stuff.

Three hours later, the beds had been re-made with fresh sheets, the living room vacuumed and dusted while both yards had been mowed. Trent had even raked the cuttings into piles as mulch around the trees. Kira had picked a vase of wildflowers to help brighten up the dining area a bit before helping him clean up the kitchen.

Sighing, Kyle looked at the other two. "Thanks again for helping out with this."

Trent shrugged. "It's for a good cause. Besides, Dr. O has enough on his plate. Worrying about small stuff like yard work is the last thing he needs."

"Trent's right and even though we don't see him almost everyday like you do, this is a way we can keep in touch, show him that someone out there still cares about him."

Kyle nodded. "Yeah, think he only got a couple of cards Friday for the school's Teacher Appreciation Day, but I had to leave before the end of his second class."

She laid a hand on his arm. "Tests? You're okay, right?"

"I'm fine. My counts are still a bit low, but they're finally starting to rise a bit." He kissed her forehead. "Stop worrying about me."

Softly, she hit him in the chest, causing Trent to laugh. "Kyle, come on man. You know that's the wrong thing to say to her."

"Yeah, forgot she tends to get violent." He winked at her, then grinned. "Go on and get out of here. All I've got to do is put the Post-Its in place."

Trent nodded. "We'll see you around." A grin split his face. "If you're still around after Dr. O figures out who did this."

Kira rolled her eyes. "Dr. O won't hurt Kyle. That'll leave him with way too much work to do with finals."

"Enough you two, get going before I change my mind." Kyle watched them go, then took a seat and started making little notes with instructions on them for dinner.

When he finished, Kyle walked into the kitchen and started hanging them up. The Post-It he put on the refrigerator door read: "Within this box lies your just 'desserts'. Enjoy responsibly." A last check of the White Chocolate Berry Trifle showed that it was setting up fine. Nodding, he went over to the counter and hung the next one above the cabinet below which sat the crock pot.

Shaking his head, he made sure it would stay in place before turning the device to low and re-reading the message: "Sunday Chicken Dinner rests under my lid. Enjoy the 'sinful' repast." The salad bowl resting in a small tub of ice got one stuck to the rim that read: "Read these 'leaves' before you feast from the crock."

An arrow pointed from the crock pot to a bucket where a bottle of Pinot Grigio was being chilled. Two wine glasses and the corkscrew laid nearby with a note that said: "Pop my top first... Then savor me slowly." Beside it was a decanter of Tawny Port to go with the trifle and it's Post-It read: "Savor me with dessert... I'll make the indulgence better." The grin that split his face as he hung the last one on the coffee pot would have warned anyone away. Laughing softly, he couldn't help but smile at the message: "I'm filled, primed and ready...Turn me on to make me drip."

That last one would get him busted, but to make sure some of the blame was spread around, he put the card Kira and Trent had signed on the counter. The comments he'd made and then hung up were more than enough to cement his part in all this.

With a last look around, he left the house, locking the door behind him before getting into his car and heading home.

_____________________

Again, Tommy looked around carefully. His was the only yard in the vicinity, but it didn't look the same as it had when he and Adam had left the house earlier. The grass had been cut and even raked. All those annoying little tree branches that loved to fall all over the place had been picked up. The backyard looked...great. "What the...who did..." He stopped trying to talk and just shot his friend a very confused look.

Adam shook his head. "Don't look at me, I was with you." He started for the house. "Wonder what else they did?" As soon as he slid the door open, the smell of something cooking hit him. "Damn, that smells really good."

"Yeah, it does. Somebody's been in my house...again," Tommy said, looking around at all the preparations that had been made...and all the sticky notes that had been left. Getting to the one on the coffee maker, Tom couldn't help but break out into a wide grin. "Kyle...again."

Adam had read a few of them and walked over to stand beside his friend. "What does it say?"

"Classic Kyle. It says, 'I'm filled, primed and ready.... Turn me on to make me drip.' That boy is definitely not right in the head."

Laughing softly, Adam sighed. "I think that boy might be a few bricks short of a truckload." He looked in the fridge. "Gotta admit though, he's got some mad cooking skills." Pulling the trifle out, he showed it to Tommy. "I mean, how many women do you know that could pull something like this off?" He put it back in the fridge and looked at his friend, then grinned. "He'll make someone a good wife someday."

Tom laughed out loud along with Adam at that one. "No kiddin'. He's awfully handy to have around sometimes--you just gotta learn to put up with his smart ass and sometimes off-color comments. So...you ready to eat?"

"Why don't we take a shower first? Not sure about you, but I know that I probably stink a bit. And I'd rather eat after I was clean." He pulled his sweaty shirt away from his chest.

Sniffing the air a little, Tommy said, "All I can smell is this food, but if you wanna, we can. Uh..separately, of course," he added as an afterthought.

Adam nodded. "I'll take one down here if you want to use the one upstairs. That way we can get them out of the way and settle down to dinner sooner."

"Sounds good. Meet you back down here in 20 minutes?"

"Works for me. See you in a few." He went up to bedroom he was using and paused, then walked over to the bed. _'Okay, so I wasn't imagining things. The sheets are different. Huh. He was a busy little bee.'_ Chuckling softly, Adam collected his stuff and a change of clothes, then went downstairs. A quick shower made him feel a lot better and more prepared to eat dinner. Stepping out of the bathroom, he spotted Tom in the kitchen. "So, um, find anything different in your bedroom?"

"Yeah...yours too? Surely he didn't do all this by himself. He had to have had help--we weren't gone that long."

"Think he could have recruited Hayley to help? Or maybe Kira and Trent? I mean, if he keeps in touch with them, that is." He was quiet for a moment. "Any special day or reason he might do something like this?"

"Yeah, he talks to Kira and Trent--as much as they're all over here...even if they didn't keep in touch, they couldn't help but run into each other. As for why...I don't--" he trailed off as he picked up a plate and an envelope fell over onto the counter. "What's this?" he said with a grin. Opening it, the smile grew. "How sweet," he said in a low voice.

"What's it say?" Adam asked, moving over closer to his friend.

"It says, 'Just because we're not your students anymore doesn't mean that we think of you any less. You'll always be our favorite teacher! Happy Teacher Appreciation Day! Love Kira and Trent.'"

Adam gave him a soft smile. "You must mean a lot to them in order for them to help out with something like this." He took the plate from Tommy and started filling it, using a small bowl for the salad. "So if he can cook like this, why the hell is that boy still so skinny?"

"Well, from what I know, it has to do with his anemia--his meds don't help." He stopped for a moment. "And of course, the fact that he does too much and doesn't eat right doesn't help at all."

Adam nodded. "He's really in trouble with you for what he did today." He raised an eyebrow at him. "So when did the little smart ass grow on you so much Tommy?" Grinning, he walked over to the chilled wine bottle and uncorked it.

Returning the smile, Tom went behind Adam putting food on the plate he had picked up. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I really felt bad for him during his senior year. He's a good kid and he went through a lot being so sick, in the hospital, missing school, etc. And then when he showed up in August announcing that he was my new TA, well...there's just something about the kid. He can be annoying as hell and somewhat embarrassing, but he grows on ya, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know. He told me this morning that he'd either grow on me like he has you or I'd end up wanting to kill him every time he's around." He filled glasses for both of them, taking them to the table along with the rest of the bottle, then returned for his plate and salad before taking a seat at the table.

They both enjoyed the dinner very much, right down to the dessert. Once they had eaten their fill and relaxed for a little while, Tommy suddenly had a great idea. "Hey, why don't we go for a nice soak in the hot tub? We can take our wine with us."

Adam nodded. "Sounds like an idea." They had finished the wine with dinner and moved to the port with the dessert. The kid had been right about how it helped accent the trifle. "Didn't know you had a hot tub, so I didn't bring any trunks with me."

"Oh that's okay--I never wear any anyway. Out here where I live, there's nobody to see me. How 'bout it?"

Adam blushed. "Um, how about boxers?" Mentioning boxers, he flushed deeper as he remembered what Kyle had told him that morning about his 'package'. "It's just been a while, you know?"

Tommy chuckled a bit at his friend's shyness. "Okay, okay...boxers it is. Ready to go? We can strip down in the living room and grab a couple of towels on the way out the back door."

"Yeah, might as well." He walked into the living room with his friend and undressed down to his boxers, laying his pants and shirt over the arm of the couch. When he turned back to ask his friend something, he could only stare. Tommy was only clad in a pair of white athletic boxers that clung to the skin and left very little to the imagination. Every curve of his friend's toned backside was outlined and Adam found himself barely suppressing a groan as he felt himself starting to react to the sight. He started for the kitchen. "If you grab the towels, I'll grab our glasses and the decanter." He didn't even wait for Tom's reply before starting to move, not wanting to get caught by his friend.

None the wiser, Tommy collected the towels from the downstairs bathroom and headed out to the back deck. Adam was already in the water up to his chest. The two wine glasses sat on the ledge. "Well, that was fast. Anxious to get in that hot water, huh?"

"Yeah, the more I thought about it the better it was sounding." He dipped under for a moment to wet his head and came back up. _'And so you couldn't see what you were doing to me.'_ He sighed. "If I had known you had this, I would have suggested we come out here last night."

"You're welcome to come up and use it anytime you want. I'm in it at least three nights a week. It's a godsend when my back is really acting up."

"Like I said, if I had known you had it, last night it would have helped loosen you up a bit better than just a massage alone." He took a drink from his glass, then shook his head. "This is really pretty good." _'And you're not too shabby yourself.'_ He could just make out the white shorts below the water and it didn't escape his attention at how well the color offset the shade of Tommy's skin.

"Yeah, it is. Not my usual choice of wine, but it's nice for a change." He paused for a moment in thought. "You know what? You've rubbed my back twice now. How 'bout letting me return the favor? Besides, I feel kinda bad for putting that big bruise on your thigh."

"I'm the one that suggested we spar." He was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "You know you don't have to do that, but if you really want to, I'll take you up on the offer." He looked over at Tommy. "Where do you want me?"

His friend threw an unmistakeably naughty grin at him. "Hmmmm...where do I want you?" Tom said in a low, husky voice. "I guess anywhere where I have good enough access. Any ideas?"

Adam groaned, then swallowed hard. "Tommy, please."

"You don't have to beg--I'm offering my services..." he said in response, baiting his friend and enjoying every minute of it.

Adam met Tommy's eyes. There were so many things that he could say and he did remember when they used to do this kind of stuff a lot, but it had been a long time, at least for him. Taking another drink, he stood up and walked across the hot tub to where Tommy was sitting before turning his back to his friend. "So where did you need me in order for you to work your magic?"

Reaching up and placing a hand on Adam's waist, Tom felt his friend's body tense up just a bit. "Easy there. Why don't you sit right here beside me?" he said, guiding him over to the seat and keeping him turned with his back facing him. "I can get to you just fine from here." With that, Tommy began rubbing Adam's shoulders and working his way down.

He decided to chill a bit on the leading comments, sensing that it was putting Adam on edge.

Adam held himself stiff for several minutes, then slowly allowed himself to relax and enjoy what Tommy was doing. He let his head fall forward a bit and sighed. His muscles might not have been causing him pain like his friend's had, but they had been tight for a while. _'Probably since I found out that bitch was cheating on me.'_ He sighed softly and pushed those thoughts aside. "Thanks Tommy." And he knew that his friend would understand that he wasn't just talking about the massage.

"You're welcome," Tommy said softly next to Adam's ear--a little too close for comfort. "Why don't we go ahead and go upstairs. That way I can give you a proper massage and maybe you can return the favor?"

Adam gasped softly. He hadn't realized that Tommy was so close and shivered slightly. He knew that Tommy wouldn't do anything, especially without his permission. The large hands had relaxed him in the warm water and he could only imagine what they would be able to do when he was stretched out. Deep down, he could admit that he might want more, but he was far from ready for it. Still, he nodded his head. "Sounds like a good idea."

"Good then, let's get out." Tommy picked up his glass and drained it. Rising up out of the water, he climbed out of the hot tub and walked over to the lounge chair where he'd dropped the towels. Turning back to Adam, he waited until the man had climbed out and then tossed him the other towel. The look on Adam's face had him looking down to make sure he still had his boxers on.

Adam knew that he was staring, but it was as if the man in front of him had enchanted him, making him unable to move. The white shorts, now soaked thru, were practically translucent. Tommy's skin was easily visible beneath the fabric and Adam was able to view his friend with little effort. Biting his lower lip, his eyes darted upward slightly, only to be enthralled once again by a bead of water that fell from the wet chest, trailing its way over well-toned pecs, over a dusky nipple to the center of his chest. At the top of Tommy's six-pack, the droplet slowly made its way over to one side and slid past his navel only to come to a rest in that thatch of dark curls that signaled the start of Tommy's happy trail. Adam knew that he was probably growing hard where he stood, but at the moment, he could do nothing as his eyes drifted up and down the chiseled body that stood before him even as the tip of his tongue darted out between now slightly parted lips to ease their dryness.

Tom knew that nearly every inch of his body was being inspected and it didn't make him uncomfortable exactly...it was just odd that it was Adam that was doing the inspecting. He smiled at his friend and turned around to pick up the wine decanter from the table. "Let's go upstairs, okay?" he said once again in the same low, sultry voice.

The voice finally broke Adam out of his reverie. He dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist and picked up his glass, then looked at Tommy. "Lead the way."

At the top of the stairs, Tom stopped and said, "Go grab your dry clothes, I'll take your wine glass in here with me." He took the glass from Adam and went into his own bedroom while the former black ranger moved to the guest room to get dressed. When he met him back in the master bedroom, Tommy had poured more wine into both glasses and changed into some dry underwear. "Lay down and I'll finish what I started."

Adam nodded as he went over to the bed. He sat down, but reached out and took a drink of wine before setting the glass down on the nightstand once again. Then, he stretched out in the middle of the bed on his stomach, pillowing his head on his arms so that he was facing Tommy. "I really do appreciate this, man."

"Oh, you're welcome. Besides, I owe you, remember?" Tom said, also taking a long drink from his glass and placing it on the table. Positioning himself beside his friend, he said, "Okay now, don't expect me to be as good at this as you are."

Adam sighed. "You weren't doing bad earlier. Besides, I trust you."

_'That makes one of us,'_ Tommy thought. He had really enjoyed rubbing Adam's body in the hot tub and he was beginning to have thoughts that he figured he maybe shouldn't be having. At least not yet. "That's good to hear--I trust you too," he finally said.

"Tommy, you've had my back too many times to count in fights against creatures and things that were sent after us. If I don't trust you by now, then there is something seriously wrong with me. Besides, you're not the one that broke my trust. Brooke did that." He closed his eyes. _'And my heart along with it.'_ He shifted a bit closer to Tommy so the man didn't have to stretch as far. "If you do something that hurts or feels uncomfortable, I'll tell you."

"Alright, well...I'll start on these tense shoulders of yours. You really need to relax more, bro." He paused. "I know, I know...physician, heal thyself," he chuckled.

Adam grinned. "Wasn't going to say anything." He sighed as Tommy went to work. "Just been hard to really relax the last few months."

The former ranger commander nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. But like I told you, things are gonna get better for you now, just wait and see." His hands began to move lower over the smooth skin, feeling the toned muscle underneath. As he went below Adam's shoulder blades, he suddenly noticed a bruise developing on the right side of his friend's ribcage. He leaned closer to inspect it. "Did I do that or did it happen in class?" he asked, rubbing his large, warm hand all along his friend's side.

He winced slightly when Tommy's hand ran over it. "Probably you if it's only coming up now. Don't worry about it, T. Like I said, the sparring was my idea and I can take my licks. Just didn't know about that one." Adam sighed softly and felt most of muscles starting to loosen under those big hands. _'God he knows how to use those hands of his and he's not timid with his touch either.'_

"Awww man, I'm sorry Froggy. That's two bruises I've put on you and you've only been here a couple of days." He wondered to himself if there were any more that he hadn't discovered yet. Adam was beginning to relax more, though. "Am I doing alright? Too hard?"

"I'm sure I put a few on you back in high school, so don't worry about it." He grinned again. "Oh, it's not any harder than I can handle. As for how you're doing--just fine, man, just fine."

Tommy matched his grin. "It's good to know that you can take it," he said, knowing that that comment could be taken a couple of different ways and not caring. "Want me to get some oil? I have some in the bathroom cabinet..."

Adam thought about it for a moment. It would probably help and it definitely couldn't hurt. Plus, if it was already in the room, he could use it as well when he returned the favor for Tom. "Yeah, but only as long as you don't mind getting up."

"No, I don't mind. Be right back," Tommy said as he walked toward the bathroom. Once in there, he had to search a bit to find it. "Now where did I put that massage oil after last time?" He hadn't seen it in almost a month. Locating it at last, he went back in to work on Adam, but he he paused at the door of his bedroom, looking at the sight of his friend stretched out on his bed. _'That's a __nice sight,'_ he thought.

While Tommy was gone, Adam had shifted a bit on the bed. His boxers had bunched up a little on him and he pulled them down a bit to straighten them out, then left them lying a little lower on his hips before settling back down on the bed. He looked over towards the door when he felt a pair of eyes on him and grinned at Tommy. "Was starting to think you got lost in your own house."

"Sorry. Took me a minute to find it. I've really gotta organize that bathroom a little better." Re-seating himself next to his bro, he opened the bottle and poured a good amount on his hands, rubbing them together to warm it. He placed his hands on Adam's lower back and began to rub upwards, enjoying the feeling of his skin sliding across the leanly muscled back. The sounds coming from the other man encouraged him--maybe he was doing something right.

"Damn T, thought you said you weren't that good at this?" He groaned softly as his friend got a particularly sore area to loosen up and relax. "Always wondered if you were any good with your hands. Guess now I know."

Tom cocked an eyebrow. "Did you now?" He couldn't help but chuckle. "Well here's an open invitation to come up and use my hot tub and get a massage any time you want or need one, okay? No reservations required."

"Be careful. Any free weekends I get, you might find me on your doorstep." He sighed. "Probably wouldn't be able to get back again though until sometime next month. We've got some belt testing coming up and a tournament with a cross town school. Never realized how much work it took to have a successful dojo. Now I can understand why there were times that we'd come into class and find our Master Sensei beating the snot out of a punching bag or target dummy."

The former white ranger laughed out loud at that. "Yeah, I remember wondering about that. I just thought we'd pissed him off!" he said grinning. "But ya know, I never realized how much it takes to teach a class--all the research, the prep work, the freakin' paperwork, which I hate by the way, and everything else. You never appreciate stuff until you have to do it all yourself." He paused and poured more oil onto his hands, lavishing it on his friend's lower back. "Want me to do your legs too?"

"Yeah, but at least you've got an assistant right now to help you with some of that stuff. I mean, even though he wasn't supposed to this time, Kyle's taking stuff home to help you out so you've got a little more free time on your hands." He thought about the offer for a moment. "Just be careful of my right thigh. That bruise on it is pretty big."

Tommy blushed. "Sorry about that--I really didn't mean to connect quite that hard. I'll be careful." Again, pouring more oil, he slowly worked it into the skin on first one thigh and then the other. There were some knots here and there, but he soon took care of that. "Wanna turn over and let me do the front?"

"You trying to put me to sleep? Thought you wanted me to return the favor?" Nonetheless, Adam rolled onto his back, then repositioned himself on the bed. "Relax about the bruises, bro. It's part and parcel of the job."

"Alright." He decided to ask Adam about one of his own favorite subjects--tattoos. "So you said that you're probably gonna get more ink, right?"

"Yep," the former black ranger answered without having to think about it.

"What are you thinking about getting?"

Adam sighed, flinching a little as Tommy hit another sore spot that he hadn't realized was there. "Not sure. Think that's why I still haven't gotten anything else. I don't want to be one of those people that just get a tat to have it, you know? Want it to mean something because it'll be there until I'm gone."

Tommy nodded. "Understand that. Well, there's lots of things you could get...a frog, for instance," he said with a grin.

"Uh huh. I don't think a frog on a lily pad would do it." Adam rolled his eyes at the man.

"Sorry bro, couldn't resist," he laughed. "Actually though, I've seen some really cool frog tats in my artist's book. They're sorta like tree frogs with the long fingers and red eyes and they have cool, full-color designs on their backs. You should check it out." He stopped and thought. "Ya know, this area right here would be a good place for something representing our stint as Ninjetti," he added, locking eyes with Adam and rubbing a big circle on his friend's upper left thigh. He watched his friend's reaction carefully. _'Should I be doing this?'_ he wondered. _'He's probably not ready.'_

Adam shivered slightly and bit on his lower lip to keep a full blown moan from slipping out. Tommy's touch was light, but it sent ripples through his body that a person would have to be blind not to notice. He forced himself to take a deep breath before replying. "Really... really think so? Like the tree frog you were talking about or something else?" _'Is he really flirting with me or am I imagining things?'_

Tilting his head, Tommy replied, "Oh, I don't know. The next time you come up, we'll go over and talk to Robby, my artist, and see if he has any ideas." His hand moved upward and came to rest on A's left pec. "This would be a good place too," he added in a low, quiet voice. He could feel Adam's body tense slightly.

Adam's skin felt like it was on fire from the path that Tommy had laid down with his hand. It would be so easy to just let go and say the hell with it... to just enjoy the night with his friend and let the mutual pleasures flow... but he wasn't ready. If they did this now, tonight, when he was still hurting over Brooke, how would he feel about it in the morning? Adam could easily fall for Tommy, but he knew that now was not the time. Besides, he wasn't entirely sure he was reading his friend right. _'Could he really be interested in me? Don't want to assume too much—that would be embarrassing.'_

He touched Tommy's hand that was still resting on his pec. "Tommy, I--" He stopped, groaning softly. _'If I turn him down now, will this be my only __chance? Will he think I'm not interested at all?'_ He groaned again, his fingers gently moving back and forth over his friend's hand.

The former White Ranger could tell that his good friend was getting a bit uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted to do was confuse him or cause him more stress. _'Besides, am I really interested in anything with him? I mean, he's really attractive __and all, but...maybe it's just memories of college fantasies...either that or I've just been without for too long.'_

With his free hand, he patted the fingers that were stroking his skin and smiled warmly. "Ready to return the favor? My back could use a good going over." He hoped that giving him something else to think about would keep him from getting uptight. '_Had he gone too far with Adam? Had he pushed the envelope?'_ He really hoped that his flirting didn't push the man away.

Adam sighed in relief internally. _'Maybe there's still a chance... just not today. If I'm even right about this.'_ He rolled his eyes. "I see how it is. Get me all relaxed and sleepy, then demand I work." Sitting up, he raised an eyebrow. "You didn't use all the oil did you?"

He smiled and handed him the oil. "No, it's not empty. And, uh, you don't seem too sleepy." He winked at Adam and then stretched out on the bed in the place where the other man had been laying.

Adam snorted. "Five more minutes and I would have been out for the count." He took the oil, then stood up and realized that there was no way he'd be able to reach all of Tommy's back from the side. "Tom, I'm gonna have to straddle your thighs man. Otherwise, it's not going to work."

Tommy didn't bother to look up. "And?...Why would that bother me?"

"Just telling you, bro. Wouldn't want you to try and get comfortable or anything and accidentally dump me while I'm trying to get settled." He climbed onto the bed and straddled the man's thighs, then poured some oil into his hands and warmed it a bit before leaning forward and putting his hands on Tommy's back. Starting low and working his way up, he applied a light coating of the oil before putting more in his hands. After it was warmed, he started work on the man's shoulders. "You're not as tight as you have been."

Tommy groaned with pleasure almost immediately. "Maybe not, but that sure does feel good. I could get used to this." He tried his best not to think about the thighs that were squeezing his own...it wasn't working. _'It's okay to __fantasize...it has been a while, ya know,'_ he told himself.

Adam found a knot up towards the top of his friend's shoulders and slid up a bit, sitting almost on his buttocks to reach the area better. At the moment, he wasn't thinking about where he was, only trying to help the other man relax. "Let me know if it gets to be too much for you. And you know, anytime I'm around, I'm more than willing to help you out."

He giggled a bit. "Thanks man, I appreciate that." He laughed again.

"And just what's so funny?" Adam had to ask.

"Nothing...I just need to behave myself."

Adam cocked an eyebrow. _'Wonder if he's still ticklish?'_ He moved his fingers down to Tommy's sides and started tickling. "I'll give you something to laugh at mister."

"Ah! Hey! No fair!" Tom yelled and burst out into fits of laughter. "Get off my ass!"

He wasn't letting up and because of where he was positioned, Tommy couldn't really reach him. "Payback's a bitch, Froggy! Just remember that!" He was still laughing and trying to figure out how to get free. He finally decided to just dump the other man off into the floor if that's what it took. Lifting his hips just a bit, he suddenly flipped over, thinking that Adam would get thrown off of him--no such luck. The former black ranger must have seen it coming, because he lifted himself up just enough to avoid being flipped. The end result--Adam found himself in the mount position over a breathless Tommy.

Adam found his eyes drawn once again to Tommy's body as he leaned over the other man. He bit his lower lip to keep from leaning in and licking the dusky nipple that was just begging for attention. Slowly, his eyes traveled up to meet his friend's and found the chocolate eyes darker than normal. Groaning softly, his head dropped to Tom's chest, inadvertently brushing against the ranger commander's groin when the move caused him to shift position a bit. It would be impossible to ignore the hardened shaft he brushed and that had sent blood rushing to his own member.

Tommy gazed at the man who was straddling him and let out a quiet moan. Their playing around had caused an unexpected reaction in his anatomy, but it was too late now. He was sure that his friend was aware of it. _'If I thought he was ready, I'd give him some more encouragement, but...he's not and I know it. I can't do that.'_ He raised his arms in a gesture of surrender. "I give, I give...no more tickling." Tom paused. "Hand me my glass--I need a drink."

Adam sighed as he sat up before handing the legendary ranger his glass. He winced and moved his right leg. "All the muscle you have and you can't put any padding on your knees?" He raised an eyebrow at Tommy before reaching over for his own glass.

"Are you saying I have knobby knees? And don't tell me I just bruised you again."

"Not knobby, just a little bony." He took a drink. "And no, you didn't. I smacked my already-bruised thigh on your bony kneecap when you tried to dump me on the floor. Gotta admit, I was expecting it." He set the glass back down and grinned at his friend. "Just a lot sooner. Your thinking must be starting to slow down a bit there, T."

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess so. My reflexes are slowing down--I started noticing that after I got hurt. But...we are getting older, ya know. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I guess with me, it just got accelerated." He sighed and drained his glass before setting it on the nightstand.

Adam put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I promise you, there was nothing slow going on with your kicks yesterday." He drained his glass and nodded at him. "Lay back down on your stomach and I'll finish massaging your back."

"Thanks...I appreciate that." Giving his friend a half grin, he turned back over and tried to get comfortable. "I don't know if it's the wine or all that dinner, but I'm really getting sleepy. How 'bout you?"

"Getting there, but I think I can finish this before I fall into a totally boneless heap." He went back to work on Tom's shoulders, then moved down his back. "So um, think that recipe is really complicated? Not for the dessert thing, but that chicken was pretty good."

"I don't know. I can ask 'Mr. Betty Crocker' for ya if you want. Maybe he can teach me how to cook some of this stuff and I'll make something good for us the next time you come up. You said it'd be probably a month before you could get back up here, right? That should give me enough time to get some recipes out of him."

Adam chuckled softly. "Well, guess it's better 'Mr. Betty Crocker' than 'Swiss Miss' or 'Chef Boyardee'. Yeah, I'd like that. Stuff like that though, nothing fancy or I'll probably end up burning my apartment down."

"No problem." He stopped and yawned. After a couple of minutes of silence, he added, "Hey bro, why don't you stay in here again tonight? It was nice to have someone with me last night--I'd almost forgotten what that was like."

Adam was quiet for a few moments, then he finished Tommy's back and got up. Without saying anything, he went over to the door and made sure it was locked. He didn't want to wake up again feeling like he was being watched. Gently, he put a hand on the other man's shoulder. "Gotta scoot over, one side or the other."

A wide smile broke out across Tommy's face. "Okay," was all he said as he slid over to make room for his friend. As Adam crawled into the big bed, Tommy started thinking about how glad he was that they had reconnected over this weekend. "I'm so glad you got to come over for a couple of days. It's been a lot of fun."

"Thanks for inviting me." He grinned. "It's definitely been interesting. And here I thought once we got out of the ranger business our lives would get boring." He chuckled softly, thinking about Kyle's teasing of Tommy at the mall. "Somehow, I think you've still got some excitement in your days." He stretched out beside the other man. "I'm glad I came up here as well." He looked over at T. "And I'm really looking forward to the chance to come back."

"Excitement? Being a high school science teacher? I don't know if I'd call it 'excitement'." He laughed. "But I'm looking forward to you coming back too. It's good to have you around again, man." He yawned again.

"Okay, interesting then." Adam yawned as well, closing his eyes. "Good to be around, bro. It's good to be around." He started drifting off and mumbled sleepily, unaware he was speaking aloud, albeit softly. "It's good to feel needed... wanted.... hell, maybe even loved."

Tommy heard him perfectly well, but had no idea what to say to that. He slid over a little closer and draped his arm over the smaller man's waist. "You're all those things, bro. Every one of them."

Adam sighed softly and slid closer to Tommy, resting his head on the other man's shoulder. _'Needed to hear that.'_ He slid an arm over his friend's side and let himself fall off the edge into the depths of sleep.

_____________________

Adam frowned as he woke slowly. A glance to the side showed that it was still dark outside. The soft groan sounded again and he turned to the man that slept beside him. The look on Tommy's faced showed that the man was in pain. Now that Adam was awake, it was obvious that Tom was trying to get comfortable. He put a hand on Tommy's shoulder. "T, wake up, bro."

"Mmmm...wha--" he mumbled as he slowly became aware of someone touching him. He shifted in the bed and felt a pain shoot down his leg. He groaned. "Ah...damn."

"Easy, watch your eyes man, I'm going to turn on the lamp." Adam sat up and turned on the lamp on the nightstand, then looked over at his friend. There was a light sheen of sweat that was visible on the man and it worried him. "What's hurting you Tommy?"

"My back...and my right leg. The pain is shooting down my leg," he said in a low voice while grimacing. "It's a sharp pain."

"Tell me what you usually take when it gets like this and I'll go get it for you."

"One of my pain killers and a muscle relaxer. Get the Vicodin and the Soma," he instructed his friend. He put his arm across his eyes and tried to breathe deep. Another moan escaped.

Adam nodded. "All right. I'll be right back." He went to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. Looking the bottles over, he pulled down the Soma, Vicodin and grabbed the Naproxen as well. Pulling out the prescribed doses of each, he made a quick trip downstairs and grabbed a Gatorade out of the fridge. It was better than straight water with the drinking they had done. Adding a pack of crackers as well, he went back up the stairs. Going back into the master bedroom, he took a seat on the side of the bed. "Okay, I got you the ones you asked for, but I added a Naproxen as well. It'll help with the inflammation that's probably going on."

Tommy moved his arm up just a bit and looked at his friend. "Thanks," he said as he forced himself into a sitting position, his back against the headboard. Holding out his hand, he took the pills from him and tossed them back into his mouth. After swallowing them down with some of the sports drink, he tried to stretch a little to ease the tight muscles. "Sorry I woke you up, bro."

"Don't worry about it." He opened the pack of crackers and held them out to him. "Eat a few of them. You need it with the Vicodin. While you do that, I'm going to grab something from my bag that might help." Going to the guest room, he looked into his bag until he found the muscle rub. It was a formula a friend of Jason's had come up with and was all natural. It came in handy at the dojo, especially when they were setting things up. A quick stop in the linen closet had him finding a heating pad and towel, then he started back to the room.

"What's all that?" he asked when he noticed Adam walking back in with his hands full.

Adam grinned. "The towel is to wrap the heating pad in so it doesn't burn your back." He set those items aside and held up the jar. "This is a present I got from Jason the first weekend we started putting mats down at the dojo. Apparently a friend of his is allergic to some of the muscle rubs out there and decided to make his own. This is the result. All natural, smells good and works a lot better than some of the others that I've used. So, feel up to me trying to work on your back a bit?"

"Ummm....I think so. Not sure I can lay on my stomach, though. Might have to start out on my side," he said, stretching his legs a little. The sharp little pains kept shooting down his leg, causing him to shift from one position to another.

"Won't be the first time I've started with you on your side, Tommy. Just lay how its most comfortable for you and I'll work with it. As things ease up and the meds start kicking in, you should be able to lay on your stomach and I can finish up. Think you can sleep on your stomach when I get done?"

"I don't know. I don't usually sleep that way because I always wake up stiff all over. But with the muscle relaxer, maybe it won't happen tonight." With that, he turned sideways and slid down until his head was back on the pillow. His legs stayed drawn up; he couldn't relax them enough to straighten them out.

"Reason I ask is because I was going to put the heating pad on your lower back when I got done. Then when you first wake up in the morning, I'll massage it again to help it loosen up before you start moving around." He opened the jar and removed a bit of the rub, holding it in his hand until it had warmed a bit before he applied to his friend's back. "Let me know if it's too much for you." He started working the muscles loose once again.

As Adam worked, he began thinking about what all they had done earlier, trying to see if any of their actions might have led to Tommy being in pain now. That was when he recalled something that happened right before he drifted off to sleep. His friend had said that 'He was all those things'. Had he said that stuff about it feeling good to be wanted, needed and possibly loved aloud? _'I could have sworn I was just thinking that, but if I was, then how did he answer me?'_ Unknowingly, as his thoughts drifted to those final moments before sleep claimed him, the intensity with which he was massaging the other man had increased.

Tommy tried his best to relax and let Adam work his magic, but the pain was getting worse instead of better. He groaned again. "Take it easy, okay? It's getting worse." He knew that if he got uptight and upset over it, the pain would just increase. Trying to slow his breathing and calm his mind, the former White Ranger called upon his training to center himself.

"Sorry man. Let me change positions for a bit, work on your shoulders first." He stopped working on Tommy's lower back and grabbed some more of the rub, then moved up to his shoulders. "In.. out.. You know how to do this Tom. Relax." He lowered his voice so his friend would have to concentrate on it to hear him. "Picture walking in the surf... sun's overhead, but it's not too hot, just nice and warm... the water lapping at your feet cools the sand enough to make walking barefoot comfortable... the waves, breaking on the shore have an almost melodic quality to them."

The former ranger commander laid there with his eyes closed, picturing the scene. It was their favorite place at the Angel Grove beach--the place where they had all their picnics and volleyball games. As he concentrated further, he could feel the gentle breeze coming off the water, blowing through his hair. He took a deep breath, imagining the smell of the surf. It was working...well, something was. Maybe it was the visualization or maybe the drugs, but he could feel himself starting to loosen up.

"That's it. Let yourself drift, bro." Adam grabbed a bit more of the rub and started moving lower, using longer, gentler strokes to tease the muscles into relaxing instead of forcing them to.

Tommy moaned again, but this time it was more out of relief than pain. He rolled onto his stomach and laid his head on his arms, trying to let go of as much tension as he could.

Adam sighed in relief. Knowing that Tommy was starting to relax did a bit to ease his worry. '_Definitely got to talk to Jase about this shit. Then I'll kick his ass_.' He started using a firmer touch, working deeper into the muscle. "Go to sleep if you want, Tom. When I'm done, I'll turn the heating pad on low and put it on your back, but please, wake me before you start moving around in the morning. Promise?"

"I promise," he replied sleepily, the meds kicking in full force by now. In no time at all, he was asleep again. This time, a little more comfortably.

Adam grinned when he heard his friend's breathing even out and deepen. He worked a few more minutes, then plugged the heating pad in, turned it on low, wrapped it in the towel and laid it over the small of Tom's back before pulling the blankets up over it. A trip to the bathroom to wash his hands and take care of business later, he crawled back into bed beside his friend. Turning off the light, he laid there for several minutes wondering if it was like this a lot for his friend. Sighing softly, he forced himself to close his eyes and drifted off to sleep again a few minutes later.

Several hours later, much later than was normal for the good doctor, Tommy awoke and started to turn over when he felt the heating pad on his back. "Oh yeah...I promised to wake up Adam before I moved around too much." Turning in the opposite direction, he looked over to see his good friend curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow. He hated to wake him, but he had given his word. "Adam...Adam...wake up, bro," Tommy said while gently shaking his friend.

Adam's hand snaked out, latching onto the hand that was shaking him. He almost pulled it until he remembered where he was and who it was that, more than likely, was shaking him. Turning his head, he looked at Tommy, then sighed softly. "Sorry about that."

Tom chuckled. "It's okay--I completely understand. At least you didn't throw an elbow at me like Jase sometimes does," he laughed. "Umm...you wanted me to wake you before I got up."

Adam snorted. "Rocky tries to hug you. Although, sometimes I think he does it just to be annoying." He sat up a bit. "How does your back feel? If it's stiff, I can work on it a bit before you start moving around, try to head it off at the pass."

"Actually, it feels pretty good. Let me try to get up and see how it is then. That's usually when I know if it's gonna be a bad day or not."

"Alright." He got up and went over to the other side of the bed and removed the heating pad, then unplugged it. "Need any help?"

"Don't think so," Tommy said as he pushed himself up to a sitting position and then tried to stand. After an initial wobble or two, he straightened up just fine and seemed pretty steady on his feet.

"Feeling okay?" He watched the former white ranger closely, looking for signs of pain or muscles tightening up.

"Ummm...yeah, pretty good," Tom said after taking stock rather quickly. "Not sure what caused that little flare-up last night, but it was nice to have you here to help." He smiled at his obviously worried friend. "It's okay Adam, these things happen. I can handle it. Now, let's get some breakfast."

Adam sighed, but nodded. "All right. I'll meet you downstairs. Need to take care of business first."

Tommy smiled. "Okay, you want eggs and bacon or oatmeal?"

"After yesterday? Please. Eggs and bacon."

"Okay, I'll go get it started." He started out the door. "Right after I beat you to the bathroom," he grinned and started moving quickly in that direction.

Adam rolled his eyes. "That's cool. I'll just use the one downstairs." He went down the stairs, chuckling softly at his friend's antics. Starting a pot of coffee first, he finally headed to the bathroom.

After washing up and getting into the kitchen, Tom pulled out the necessary stuff for making breakfast. Adam came in shortly afterward and helped to set the table. "Hope I wasn't too much trouble last night. I didn't mean to wake you up," Tommy said.

"It wasn't any trouble, bro. I would have felt a lot worse if I had learned you were hurting, but not known about it."

"Still...I'm glad you were here. Usually I just have to take something and wait. Sometimes I get back to sleep and sometimes I don't."

"Have you tried taking half a muscle relaxer and a Naproxen before you go to bed each night? Even if you don't you need it."

Tommy turned to Adam. "Ya know, my doctor has suggested that a couple of times, but I really don't want to get dependent on medicine. You know me."

"Yeah, but think about it Tom. You didn't need it before you went to sleep last night, but about three hours later not only did you need that, but you needed a painkiller as well and you took a whole muscle relaxer. Maybe the key is to prevent it from happening at all. If the half-dose of the muscle relaxer plus the anti-inflammatory is enough to do that and help you sleep, isn't it worth it?"

Sighing heavily because he knew Adam was right and because he knew that his condition had deteriorated to the point of needing to do something like that, he looked into his friend's eyes. "You're right, I need to do more to keep things from getting bad instead of just trying to combat it when it does," he said in a low, defeated-sounding voice.

"Tommy, it's not a sign of weakness. Do you think it's weak of Kyle that he has to take meds daily like he does?"

"No, I suppose not. He's just a victim of circumstances."

"Exactly. The circumstances might be different, but it's for the same reason. He's trying to keep himself healthy. You'd be doing the same thing. By taking those meds, you'd be allowing yourself the sleep you need. More sleep means you're better rested. If you're sleeping and resting better, your muscles can relax more. Maybe that'll help ease up on the spasms."

"When did you get so smart?" Tommy asked with a small grin as he sat a steaming cup of coffee down in front of his friend. "I expect this stuff from Jase, but from Frog boy...not so much."

He blushed a bit and shrugged. "My mom's taught me a lot besides massage techniques." Adam took a drink of the hot brew. "I have got to take some of that back with me." He looked at him again. "And I took a few human anatomy courses and some kinesiology classes at school. Business courses were okay, but they left me bored at times. Needed something to keep me focused."

"You'd make a good therapist. Maybe you should look into joining your mom's business. I could use a free massage every once in a while--too bad you don't live closer," Tommy stated. He was quiet for a moment. "How long can you stay today?"

"I've thought about it, but it'd be something that I added on to the school. The reason I took the kinesiology classes was because it helps me teach katas more effectively if I can understand why some people are having trouble with certain movements." He took another drink. "Should probably get on the road by noon. Lets me get some stuff done before I have to open for the evening classes."

"Hey, I have an idea. Once your business gets established, you could open a school up here and maybe I could help out some--time and physical condition permitting, of course. Like I told you, we need a good school up here." He turned and brought a plate of food to his friend and then grabbed his and sat down at the table. "I'm not looking forward to this afternoon--gonna have to have a serious talk with Mr. Kyle."

"I've actually been thinking about that, but I'd want to be up here the first few months at least to make sure things were running properly. That means I need a good staff in Angel Grove. Right now, I've got Rocky and Jason that I can really rely on, but I'd definitely let you help out where you could." He ate quietly for a few minutes. "You know he was just trying to help, T."

The science teacher sighed and played with his food a bit. "I know...but he's trying to do too much. Now I find out that he's also working at Hayley's place? I appreciate his help, don't get me wrong, but he and I had a deal and he's not keeping up his end of the bargain." He took a few more bites of his breakfast. "I won't have him endangering his health--not over trying to help me out."

"Just try to keep that temper of yours in check a bit, Tommy. Kid acts all tough and brave, but I think he's hiding a lot behind the attitude and comments."

A quirky grin suddenly appeared on Tom's face. "The crazy boy's growin' on ya, isn't he?" He laughed and took a long drink of coffee. "I'll be good, I promise. I know his type--bark's much worse than his bite. But if he gives me too much of that attitude, I'm gonna adjust it for him."

Adam finished eating and took a drink of his coffee. "Don't know what it is about that kid, but yeah, he's growing on me. I just don't think he's going to give you a lot of attitude. When I caught him yesterday morning, he seemed to know that he was in trouble for something with you. I'm guessing him taking those papers was it."

"I don't know about that--kid's got attitude to spare. I'll try to go easy on him, though. So, whatcha wanna do until you have to leave?"

Adam snorted. "I'd say surprise me, but that gives you way too much leeway. How about nothing too physical? I've got two classes tonight and I'm going to need my energy."

"Honestly, I need to conserve my energy too. Why don't we just hang out here and watch a movie or some TV until you have to go? And maybe I can drill you a little more about the mission with Hartford's rangers," he replied with a mischievous grin.

"Hartford? He was all right. Kind of weird that someone was in charge of the rangers that had never been one, but just hanging here sounds good. So, TV or a movie?"

"Doesn't matter--whichever you want," Tommy said as they walked back into the living room after pouring themselves more 'Kyle Surprise'.

A couple of hours and a lot of laughing and talking later, Adam was taking his things out to his truck. "You didn't forget anything, did you?" Tom asked, standing by the door.

Adam put his bag on the seat, raising an eyebrow at the package he found there. "No, didn't forget anything." He held the bag of coffee up. "Gained something though."

"Yep. Your very own supply of 'Kyle Surprise'. I gotta get them to change that name. I'll bring you some more when I come down to see your school. Stuff's kind of addictive."

"Kind of? That's like saying chocolate is 'kind of' good." He tossed the bag back on his seat and shut the door, then walked over to his friend. "I'm glad I came up this weekend."

Tommy looked down into the warm, slightly slanted eyes of his old friend. "I am too. I hadn't realized how much I missed you until now." He smiled warmly. "Remember, any time you wanna hang out or go for a soak in the hot tub..."

Adam chuckled softly. "I'll remember that." He closed the distance between the two of them and hugged his friend. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself?"

Putting his arms around Adam's shoulders and drawing him in closer, Tommy just stood there for a moment. "Yeah, I promise...if you'll promise me the same thing."

"I promise." He sighed softly. "Remember you're coming down to see the school soon."

"I remember. I can't wait to see it. Been a while since I've been down there anyway." Tom couldn't help but notice that this hug was distinctly different from the reluctant one he'd received from Adam on Friday evening.

Adam patted his back. "Don't make it too long. I'm sure the others would be glad to see you as well. Just bring plenty of coffee with you."

He chuckled. "Okay, I'll bring the beans." His tone changed a bit after that, though. "Adam, if you want or need to talk...about anything...you know where I am, right?" he said in a low, serious voice, still embracing his friend.

Swallowing hard, Adam nodded. "I know." He sighed. "Hell, T, I've told you more about what went on with Brooke and I this weekend than I have Rocky. Trust me, I know where you are. Long as you realize that the same is true for you. If you need to talk, or even just want some company for the weekend, call me."

"I'll do that. It does get lonely out here sometimes." Tommy thought that maybe this long embrace was a sign. He took it as encouraging and decided to test the waters a bit. Slowly and gently, he touched his moistened lips to Adam's cheek and then pressed his cheek against his friend's. "Have a safe trip home."

"Thanks. I'll call you when I get in." He squeezed Tom a bit after the kiss, then stepped back. "Talk to you later." Reluctantly, he let go of his friend and got in his truck. With a last grin, he started it up and backed out of the drive.

Tommy went up on the porch and watched his friend leave, giving him one last wave as he pulled away. Sighing, he turned and went into the house, beginning to mentally prepare himself for his meeting with Kyle.

Adam sighed as he started the drive back to Angel Grove. The weekend had given him a lot to think about and the drive back gave him too much time to do just that.

Back inside the house, Tommy checked the time and went to get dressed. He was meeting Kyle at Hayley's in less than an hour and he had to figure out how to approach this. _'He did put a lot of work into that breakfast and dinner that he cooked for me and Adam...and I know he's just trying to help, but I can't let him get away with pulling a stunt like that. And why do I have the feeling that he's avoiding telling me what his doctor had to say?'_

Kyle finished filling the sales bags with the blend he made for Hayley and then stacked them in a couple of boxes. He was always surprised at how few bags were left at the end of the week. They had regular customers that bought the stuff. The holidays had been brutal with demands for it as gifts. Taking a seat, he grabbed the juice he'd brought back with him and took a long drink. _'Wonder how bad Dr. O's gonna rip my ass?'_

On the way to the Cyberspace, Tommy had time to think about other things. _'I hope I didn't go too far by kissing Adam. He didn't seem freaked out...and __I kinda got the idea that he might be interested...he was certainly giving me some looks...I don't know.' _Trying again to focus on the issue at hand, he tried to remember his promise to Adam--to not lose his temper and chew the kid's face off. _'Kyle, Kyle, Kyle...what am I gonna do with you?'_

Getting back up, Kyle took the pre-filled filters he'd made out to the front and put them in the stack for Hayley to use. When he was done he looked at the redhead. "Bags are made and in the boxes. Filters are made up for the rest of today and tomorrow for you. Anything else?"

"Aren't you meeting Tommy here in a little while?" Hayley asked.

He looked at his watch. "Yeah, in a few minutes actually, but if you need me to do something until he gets here, that's fine."

She gave him a knowing smile. "No, I think you need to sit down and get yourself together before he gets here. If he finds you working your butt off, it's just gonna make it worse, you know that." She reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much, okay? He's just concerned about you."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You're not the one that snuck half the research papers out of his house yesterday and started working on them last night." He was quiet for a moment. "I'm going to the bathroom real quick. Think I can con you into one of your chocolate shakes with a scoop of that protein powder?"

"He's not gonna like that, Kyle. But yeah, I'll make you a shake. If he comes in while you're in the bathroom, I'll try to gauge what kind of mood he's in and give you the heads up."

"I know he's not, but I figured I'd get done what I could before he benches me for the next couple of weeks." He threw his apron behind the counter. "Thanks Hayley." He went to the bathroom to clean up a little before Dr. O got there.

Tommy pulled up and parked outside the cafe, taking a deep breath in order to center himself. '_Okay, try to take it easy on the boy. Don't cause a scene.'_ He pulled himself from his jeep with only a little trouble and went inside to find his wayward assistant.

Kyle came out of the bathroom and sighed. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep, but he still had another dose of the stuff Chris had given him to take, which meant he had to be sitting down for 3 hours afterwards. He rolled his head a few times, trying to get his neck to loosen up as he walked back into the main area. He knew he looked like crap at the moment, but there was nothing he could really do about it.

As soon as Tom spotted Kyle, all resolve went out the window. He could tell by the way the kid walked that he was worn down--he didn't have to see his face. After crossing over to him, a look at the boy's face confirmed the teacher's suspicions. "Kyle," Tommy said in his strong, teacher voice. "We need to talk." He purposely gave him a bit of a glare.

He sighed, then nodded. "Um, can we go to the back? Would like to sit down for this." He started for the back, taking the shake from Hayley as he passed. "Thanks Hayley."

Hayley touched Tom on the shoulder as he walked by. She tilted her head and gave him one of those 'Come on now, chill out' looks. Tommy wasn't having any of it. He turned away from her without saying anything and continued into the back behind Kyle. Once they found a place to talk, Tommy stood and just looked at the kid for a minute. "Ya know, you really are the limit sometimes."

Kyle took a seat and looked at his mentor. "I was just trying to help. Figured if I could get the bibliography, format and some of the grammar stuff done, it'd be less you had to do later."

"And you know, I appreciate it, I really do. Never think that I'm not appreciative, but Kyle...look at you. You're trying to do too much. You can't keep this up. Now...tell me what the doctor said." He trained his large brown eyes on the boy and held him in his gaze.

Kyle groaned. This was the part that he'd been dreading since Friday. Chris hadn't liked the blood work he'd done the previous week, in an appointment that Dr. O hadn't known about. "Friday's appointment wasn't the only one that I've had this month. I had one the week before that as well. Chris didn't like the way my counts looked and I went in Friday for him to get a sample of my bone marrow. He also gave me four doses of a different protein builder."

Tommy stood there with his arms folded across his chest, nodding. "Go on."

Kyle took a long drink of the shake before speaking again. "I have to take the last one today. Means I can't lay down or get up and move around for 3 hours. That's why I told you we had to meet around one or after five." He dropped his head, unable to continue meeting his mentor's eyes. "I've also lost about five pounds. Means he's restricting my working out until I re-gain them and is going to be checking my food logs to make sure I'm getting the 2000 calories a day I'm supposed to be."

"And I'm assuming he told you to make sure you get enough rest and not to overdo it, right?" Tom was still not softening his tone. He knew the kid had been keeping something from him and now he knew what.

"Yeah, he doesn't know that I've been helping out here at Hayley's." He frowned a bit and looked back up at the older man. "Well, he didn't until Friday. He wants me to cut back to just helping you again."

"And helping me does not include taking papers to grade out of my study without asking me first, does it? And as much as Adam and I truly enjoyed the breakfast and the dinner, you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble." Thinking about the nice surprises that his assistant had arranged for him and his friend made the former ranger relax a little more.

Kyle blushed a bit. "The breakfast was because I wanted to apologize for the mall Saturday. Shouldn't have said that stuff in front of your friend considering I don't really know him. Figured I might have embarrassed you."

Tommy shook his head, remembering the exchange they had had at the men's store. "Well...maybe just a little, but he could tell you stuff that'd be much worse!" He smiled a little for the first time since he'd come in the building. Somehow, thinking about Adam had soothed his bad mood a little.

"Yeah, he kinda hinted at that when he caught me leaving the house." He absently rubbed his shoulder. There were a few small bruises there, but nothing major. "Still, I felt bad about it. As for the rest of the stuff, Trent did the yard. He kinda glared at me when I offered to help."

"Glad to know that Trent's looking out for you, even if you're not." Tommy had noticed Kyle rubbing his shoulder and also remembered Adam saying that he didn't think he'd hurt him but he wasn't entirely sure. "Kyle, did Adam hurt your shoulder when he grabbed you? Tell me the truth."

"I was already sore from Friday's workout and then Chris took the sample from my sternum. All he did was bruise it, but if I brushed too hard against something right now that might do it, too."

His mentor considered this for a minute. "Well okay, but let me give you a piece of advice. Don't startle or surprise my friends, okay? They're all highly trained in various martial arts and they might inadvertently lash out or hurt you. Just not a good idea--especially with Jase."

He blushed harder. "Adam kind of told me the same thing." He rolled his neck again, then rubbed his eyes. "So, um, how long are you going to keep me from doing anything extra?"

"I think that you should take it easy until your doctor is satisfied--like after you regain the weight and stop looking like death warmed over. At least a couple of weeks."

His head snapped up. "Two weeks? Oh, come on. I'll go stir crazy with Chris not letting me workout, Hayley's not letting me back in here except on Sunday to make coffee and nothing else to do for you."

"Good. You can use the extra time to make sure you're eating enough and getting at least eight hours of sleep a night. You've gotta take better care of yourself, man. You can't keep running yourself ragged."

Kyle snorted. "Do you know how hard it is for me to eat like I'm supposed to? People hear 2000 calories and they think that's nothing, but I have certain stuff that I have to eat." He got up and started pacing around, his arms crossed over his chest, hugging himself. "When I was working out, I'd grab something before I left the house and then eat something again at school, but it's hard. I have to eat almost every three hours."

Tommy made some quick calculations in his head. "Tell you what, since you'll be with me at school for several hours a day, I can help you stick to your schedule. You just have to promise me that you'll eat breakfast before school and dinner after. And no working out until Chris says so, okay?"

Kyle sighed and sat back down. He took another long drink of the shake, thinking about what Dr. O had said. _'Well, he didn't make me promise about not working out, just eating. If I get too bored, a little swim wouldn't hurt.'_ Setting the shake back down, he nodded. "All right. Guess I don't really have much choice, do I?"

"No, ya don't," Tom smiled. "And Kyle, please don't take this the wrong way, but...well...I know that healthy food, protein supplements, and all those meds have to be expensive. Would you let me help you out? Just between friends, huh?"

Kyle blushed and dropped his head a bit. The money had been getting tight recently. The scholarship covered all of his books, fees and tuition. As for the house, it was paid for and his mother's insurance money took care of most of the bills each month, but with all the hours required by the school, he wasn't able to take a second job like he had when he was just going to class. The money he'd saved up was running low and until he turned 21, he wouldn't get any money from the trust his mother had left him. That was still a few months away. He swallowed hard. "How... how did you know?"

The good doctor walked over and put a strong arm around his shoulders. "Kyle, I know you think I'm old, but I remember quite clearly what it was like to be a broke college student. And being that I have to keep to a healthy diet and buy supplements and medicines just like you do, I know how much all that can cost. Do you have all the medicines that you're supposed to be taking?"

"Chris gives me samples when I'm short on cash or the insurance won't cover one. I have to find a new iron supplement though. The one I've been taking is upsetting my stomach." He was quiet for a moment. "There's one that Chris can't get anymore samples for and I've got about a week left. The only problem is that for a month's worth it's almost $300."

"I'll make a deal with you--I'll help you get at least a month's worth, and I'll talk to Jase and see if he has any connections that can help out. Now, what about food? You been to the grocery store recently?" He paused and then added. "To get stuff that you're actually supposed to be eating, that is."

"Not this week. Having to do this med has kinda thrown me off track. Leaves me tired a bit more than usual. Today's the last dose though."

"Do you have time to go with me now? I have to go anyway, so we may as well do it together. That way, I can make sure you're getting what you're supposed to have."

Kyle looked at his watch. He had a half hour window with the medicine. Figuring out the latest he could take it, he looked up at Tommy and nodded. "Yeah, I've got about forty-five minutes before I have to take it. Then I get to sit up for three hours."

"Fine, that's plenty of time. Let's go." He started toward the door that led back out into the cafe, motioning for his assistant to follow him.

Kyle got up and followed him, grabbing his shake as he left. "What am I going to do about my truck?"

"I'll bring you back here to get it after we get the groceries. There's a good market not far from here."

"All right." He got into the jeep with his mentor and buckled his seat belt. "Why are you doing all of this for me?"

Turning in his seat, Tommy gave Kyle a quizzical look and a chuckle. "I would think that would be obvious by now. You're my friend and you need a little help right now. I'm able to help you out, so that's what I'm doing."

Kyle frowned at him. "But I thought you were mad at me for what I did with the papers? I broke our agreement. I thought you were going to rip me a new one and you're helping me instead."

Tom sighed. "Look, I'm still not happy with you for snatching those papers out of my house and it bothers me that you've been keeping things from me that concern your health, but...the best way I know of to fix those things is to keep a closer eye on you and make sure that you're doing what your doctor told you. Now, if I catch you not eating or not taking your medicine or working out before Chris says it's okay, then I'll be mad."

He nodded. "All right. So, I guess now would be a good time to tell you that I have another appointment with him tomorrow after school?"

"What's this one for?"

"It's just a follow up. He's going to re-draw my blood and then again in two weeks. Make sure this works." He let his head fall back against the headrest.

His mentor looked over at him and shook his head slightly. _'Poor kid's been through way too much in his young life. I wish there was something more the doctors could do.'_ "Well, that shouldn't be too bad. Why don't you come over for dinner after you get done with Chris?"

"Honestly? It'll depend on how tired I am. I was up until about eleven last night working on the papers. Then showed up at Hayley's around nine this morning. Didn't workout or anything today, but I feel like I did. Part of the reason I don't sit still a lot lately is because I'd probably fall asleep if I did."

"Alright well, we'll talk about it again tomorrow at school. Right now, let's get in here and get some groceries," he said as he parked his jeep.

But just as they were about to get out, his cell phone rang. "Adam? You home already?" He checked his watch. "Yeah, I guess so. I've been talking to Kyle and lost track of time--No, I didn't lose my temper. How was the drive?--Good.--I will, I promise. I'm just about to go into the market now.--Yeah, call me tomorrow.--Alright, bye." He hung up with a warm smile on his face. "Sorry. I asked Adam to call me when he got home."

"That's okay. I'm glad to hear that he made it back okay." He got out, taking the empty shake cup and throwing it away. "So I'm supposed to be eating a lot of high iron foods and proteins. At school, I mainly eat sandwiches for lunch. Dinner, most of the time, is either another sandwich or can of soup unless I actually have the stuff to make something--or someone's brought me over something."

"You're gonna have to do better than that for dinner. Let's see if we can't figure something out." As they headed into the store, Tommy could feel Kyle watching him. "What?"

Kyle shook his head. "You know, I thought only girls and women got that look from phone calls." He walked over and grabbed a cart.

The older man felt a blush starting. "What look? What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, Dr. O. You can't tell me that you've never noticed how some women get this look on their face when someone they like but they haven't told calls them."

"He's my friend, Kyle. I've known him forever, it seems. I think you're reading too much into things." _'Did I really look like that?'_

Kyle raised an eyebrow at him, then pulled his phone out. He thumbed through it for a second, then turned it to show Tommy. "That looks like something more than a friend to me. It looks like something special."

Tommy took the phone from him and looked at the picture for a second. Then his eyes opened wide and he turned his gaze on his protege. "Oh my god...Kyle!" he said while his face was steadily turning red.

"How do you think I got caught yesterday morning? I was looking for Adam to wake him up so he could wake you up." He shrugged and nodded towards the phone. "Only, I found you like that and couldn't help taking the picture. You look good together... comfortable with each other. If he's interested, I'd say go for it. I was leaving to go down and ring the doorbell when I sneezed. Guess it woke Adam. That's when I took off."

Because they had gotten into that position after falling asleep and Adam had gotten up before him, Tommy hadn't really realized that the two of them had been curled up together like that. And it would have to be Kyle that saw it. How could he downplay this? "We were just sleeping, Kyle, that's all. Anyway, my love life or lack thereof is none of your business, boy. Let's get the groceries, alright?" he said with a guilty smile and turned back to the cart.

Kyle put his phone up and took up step with him. "You know, if he wasn't comfortable around you or somewhat interested, just sleeping or not, he would have been on the other side of the bed." He held up his hands. "Just saying..."

Tommy just shook his head and kept walking.


	4. Unforeseen Complications

**Misery Loves Company**

**By**

**A Warrior's Prophet**

**Disclaimers****:** See Chapter 1.

**Author's Notes****: **Just a note of warning, there will be a character death in this story—not saying who or when though!

**Chapter 4— Unforeseen Complications**

As Adam hit the interstate, he thought about what the kids had told him. If Jason had been up there 6 weeks ago, when it got so bad, why didn't he tell him? Why did Jase keep that info from him before he went up to see Tom? It might have helped a little when dealing with his friend in so much pain.

At least he'd have been a little more prepared. Granted, he didn't think that anything could have fully prepared him for seeing his friend in that condition. When he thought of Tommy, he remembered a lean, strong, and agile fighter--long-haired and good looking--a bit insecure and guilt-ridden at times, but a great friend and a fabulous person. To see him having trouble walking and sleeping, taking all those meds, and drinking too much--it was almost unbearable. And to think...it could all get much worse. That is, if Hayley was right.

And some of those scars, especially the one he'd found from the wreck. How bad were Tom's injuries? What had he and Jason kept from all of them? He sighed heavily. When he got back to Angel Grove, he was going to sit down and have a long talk with Jason and it was going to happen today if he had anything to say about it.

Of course, there were some good things that came out of this weekend. It was really great to hang out with his old friend again--to catch up. And if that goodbye was anything to go on, there just might be another element to their relationship. He was far from sure if the former ranger commander was interested in him or not and to be honest, he didn't know if he was ready to get into anything yet. And for it to be with another man...and old friend at that...that was a big decision. Monumental, even.

Although, he did have to admit that it felt really good to just be held by someone that cared. It had been a long time since he felt that someone gave a damn about him. Yeah, he talked with Jason and Rocky, but it wasn't the same. With Tommy, it was like he really understood. There were a couple of times that he was sure that the man was flirting with him. He blushed slightly. That massage was good and if he was honest, if his friend _was_ interested, when the time was right, he could see himself with Tommy.

But that was a little bit down the road. He had to think over some things first. Like was he even ready for something that huge. First off, they had to figure out a way to help the man, even if it meant someone moving to Reefside.

He would have to talk things over with at least Jason if not Jase and Rocky. If things were going to progress like Hayley thought, Tommy was going to need some help. And he still couldn't understand why his friend had made no attempt to seek out help from the advanced medicine that was surely available from their E.T. friends.

Shaking his head, he slowed down for the exit to Angel Grove. Then again, there was the famous Oliver guilt complex, but he wouldn't let that get in the way of his health. Would he? With all the working out and stuff that the former green ranger was doing to try and, as the kids put it, 'stay ahead of it', surely Tommy wasn't just going to sit there and let it claim him.

He thought about this for a while. '_Well, even if he's willing to sit by and let it happen, I'm not and I'm sure our friends feel the same way. We've got to make him see sense._'

Not too long afterwards, he parked at his apartment and pulled his duffle bag from the seat. After getting into his place, he sat down heavily on the couch and reached for the phone. '_Jason Scott...you better be home._'

Jason picked up the phone on the second ring. "Jake's pizza. How do ya want your pie?"

Adam sighed. He was so not in the mood for this. "Jase hey, it's me." He paused and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "We need to talk, bro."

The first red ranger frowned. "What's wrong?" He could tell that something was up with his former teammate.

"It's Tommy--why didn't you warn me? Why didn't you tell me how bad off he was? We need to get together and talk about this."

Sighing softly, Jason looked at his watch. "Look, there's a couple hours still until we need to be at the dojo for class. Why don't I grab us some Chinese and come over?"

"Yeah sure, that'll be fine. I'll be waiting." He hung up and decided to go and take a quick shower before the other man got there. He tried to formulate what to say and how to say it.

Jason shook his head as he got up. '_This is not how I wanted to go about telling Adam about all of this_.'

He grabbed his wallet and keys before heading out the door and going to a Chinese place they both liked. After paying for the food, he got back into his SUV and went to Adam's. Making his way to Frogboy's apartment, he knocked and waited for him to answer.

As he went to the door, Adam took a steadying breath. He really didn't want to jump his friend, but he had to get some answers. Opening the door, he said in a tired voice, "Hey Jase, come on in."

The Original Red Ranger slid by the other man, making his way to the couch and setting the take-out bag on the coffee table. "Got you the usual. Added a couple more potstickers and dumplings to the order." Taking a seat, Jason started sorting the orders.

"That's fine. I'll get some plates and drinks. Whatcha want?"

"Considering I'm helping you with the class tonight? Water or a Gatorade if you've got it."

"Alright." Adam came back into the living room with both hands full. Setting a plate and a fruit punch Gatorade down in front of Jason, he took a seat in the chair. "That smells good--I must be hungrier than I thought."

"That or Tom didn't feed you very well while you were there." He picked up the drink and shook it before opening it, then took a long drink. "Thanks."

"No, he fed me just fine. We even had breakfast and dinner cooked for us yesterday by his TA."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "His TA? What, did the kid screw up and have to cook as punishment?" He chuckled softly at the thought.

Adam smiled in spite of himself. "Well, the breakfast was sorta like self-imposed punishment. The dinner was for Teacher Appreciation Day at school. The kid thought that not enough students did anything for Tommy, so he was making up for it."

"Damn, kid must really look up to him in order to do something like that. Surprised Tommy let him in on the weekend to do that kind of stuff for him." He took a bite out of one of the dumplings.

"Oh, Tommy didn't let him in--he sorta let himself in. Either he picked the lock or knows where the spare key is kept--not sure which. But yeah, he definitely looks up to Tommy. They have an, uh..._interesting_ relationship."

"Oh really? He doesn't talk about him that much. I know Tom's said that he has one and that he has a mouth on him."

Adam laughed. "That's the understatement of the year! My introduction to Kyle was at the mall on Saturday. Tommy needed some new pants for work, so we went shopping for a couple of hours. While he was out in the mirror looking over some pants he was trying on, first a female student of his came by and told him how she'd love to watch him write on the board all day in those pants. After that, Kyle happened along and told him that they made his ass look big. I was laughing so hard I had to hang on to the clothes rack."

Jason dropped the dumpling he was trying to pick up. "You're kidding me! And the kid's still alive?!"

Grinning, Adam nodded. "Yeah, and that's not all. I ended up chasing him out of the house in my boxers..." he paused because the look on the former Red Ranger's face was too much. "I'll explain later. Anyway, once I caught up to him he explained what he was doing in the house in the first place and then told me that the boxers wrapped the package nicely. He's a trip!"

He shook his head. "I've got mixed feelings about meeting this kid now. Not sure I want to find out what he'd say about me." Jason started eating again.

"There's no telling. But seriously, I think he's a good kid and he seems to really care about Tommy. A little too much for T's liking, I think. He tries to do everything he can to help out and our friend seems to think he's doing too much. The boy has some health problems and Tommy says that he doesn't take care of himself like he should."

That made Jason frown. He knew that their friend had a soft spot for the underdog. "Do you know what kind of problems?"

"Some kind of anemia from a snake bite when he was a kid. Has caused him a lot of problems. The kid is so skinny you wonder if he's eaten in days."

"Only type of anemia I've learned about like that is hemolytic. Can cause a lot of problems, even leading up to the person having to have their spleen removed, but that leaves them on daily antibiotics for the rest of their life. If he had it for a while, could have left him with anemia on a permanent basis." He shook his head. "Tommy sure knows how to pick them." He was quiet for a few minutes. "So, while I realize that his TA might be a fun topic, it's not what you wanted to talk about."

Adam's demeanor changed. "No, it's not. I want to know why you haven't told me about Tom's problems. I had no idea he was this bad off. Why were you keeping things from me?"

Jason sighed and looked at Adam. "If I had told you that your friend, who was so athletic and always on the go, was now in pain so bad at times that he couldn't move...would you have believed me?"

Adam fixed him with a serious look. "I wouldn't want to believe it and I would find it hard to believe, but if it was coming from you--yeah, I'd've believed you. He woke up in the middle of the night last night hurting. I could practically _see_ his back spasming."

"How bad was it? I mean, what did it take for it to relax and him to be able to go back to sleep."

"Ummm, let's see...Soma, Naproxen, Vicodin, and a massage. I eventually got him back to sleep, but I had to use visualization techniques to get him to calm down and slow his breathing. It seemed to hit all of a sudden. One minute we were asleep and the next he was shifting around and groaning."

"It's starting to get worse then. For it to wake him up and it take that much to get him to be able to relax and go back to sleep..." He took another bite.

'_What was he doing in bed with T? Did they have sex? What the hell went on up there this weekend?_' He looked over at Adam. "What about the rest of the weekend? Any other times that he seemed to be having problems?"

"Oh yeah. I had to help him up the stairs Friday night. Of course, all the drinking might have contributed to that, but his back was hurting pretty bad. But even when he didn't let on or say anything, I could tell that he was in pain. And I had a chance to sit down and talk to a couple of his rangers--Trent and Kira. They told me about Hayley's prognosis and the last time he had to be hospitalized. Seems you went up there and helped out. Any reason you didn't tell me about that?" Adam's tone was getting more and more stern. He didn't like to be kept in the dark.

"Other than he asked me not to tell anyone and you were still dealing with the crap from Brooke, plus getting things off the ground here? Not to mention you were trying to get me and Rocky finalized with our teaching credentials for the dojo."

"Still...you could have told me something more than you did. And why is it that he hasn't tried to contact Eltar or Triforia, or somewhere? They might could do something to help him. I asked Tommy about that and he didn't seem to have a good answer."

Jase snorted. "He seems to think he deserves what he's getting. That everything he's dealing with right now is his karma for everything from his days as the Evil Green Ranger up to and including the crap with Mercer and Mesogog."

Adam's eyes widened. "That's insane."

"Yeah, but that's the Oliver guilt complex at work. You know how he is at times. Hell, even when Gasket had him brainwashed and we got him back, he still felt bad for months about how he treated us in that arena."

"I remember. Damn, I would've thought that he'd have gotten past some of that by now. If he's hanging on to all of that stuff that happened over all of those years, he's dragging around a lot of baggage. Couldn't we talk to Billy or somebody and get them to contact _someone_ about his condition? If he won't do it for himself...."

"I've been thinking about that. With what Hayley said last time and what you're telling me now, I'm thinking it's time we took that step." He finished eating and sat back with a small sigh. "It worries me sometimes that he's there in that house all alone. Hayley won't always stand up to him about stuff and I don't know how this Kyle kid is around him. Kira and Trent are only there every once in a while because of school. If he has another attack like the one that landed him in the hospital last time and no one's around to help him--" He shook his head. "Might not kill him, but he might wish he was dead."

Closing his eyes, Adam lowered his head. "I don't want to think about that--him lying on the floor in so much pain that he can't move--all alone." He looked up at his friend. "We've gotta do something. Somebody needs to be closer to him. It takes too long to get there from here. We were talking about that while I was giving him a massage...." he trailed off, remembering something else he wanted to ask the Original Red. "By the way, while I was rubbing his back, I felt all of the scars that his ink is covering--including the ones from the racing accident. Now Jase, I want you to tell me the truth--how badly was he injured in that wreck? I know there's more to it than you two let on when it happened."

Jason leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "I don't know if I can do that Adam. That day...the weeks after...I've tried so hard to forget about all of that." He drew in a shaky breath. "I've got a copy of the injuries he sustained in a file I've got. I'll explain the ones you don't understand, but I'm not sure I can go through that again."

He closed his eyes, trying to force back the images of them having to stop the race and bring in the 'jaws of life' to cut the section of car that Tommy was impaled on away from the rest of twisted metal just to get him out. The agonizing ambulance ride where the paramedics lost him twice and were able to get him back, but only barely. How useless he felt sitting on the bench and staring down at the body of his best friend as they worked to try and stabilize him so surgeons could fight for his life at the hospital. No, those were images he didn't want to think about or remember any more than he had to.

Adam hadn't meant to upset Jason like that, but the fact that it still affected him that much ten years on told him that he had been right. There was stuff that he didn't know. "So you'll let me read it? All of it?"

"Yeah, I don't have it with me, but I've got it at home." He sighed. "The scar on his side is from where he was impaled on a piece of metal. They had to actually stop the race so that they could use the 'jaws of life' and get him free." He looked over at his former teammate. "Do you know why I became a paramedic? Why I've continued studying when I can so that I can work on getting my Physician's Assistant license?"

"Well, I assumed it was because it was a way for you to continue to help people just like you've always done, one way or another."

He shook his head. "I was all set to become a cop. That's why I was hanging out with Tommy that weekend. Then he had the accident." He paused for a moment, swallowing hard. "They.... they lost him twice on the way to the hospital... sitting beside him... I felt so useless, helpless... there was no command center that I could teleport him to... no Alpha or Zordon to come up with something to save him.... just two humans who were using everything they knew to keep him alive. I never reported to the Academy. Once he started healing, I began classes to become a paramedic. Started out as an EMT-Basic, worked as that while I got my EMT-Intermediate. Then I continued working while I got my paramedic qualifications." He raised watery eyes to Adam's. "That accident didn't just change Tommy, it changed me."

Now it was Adam's turn to swallow hard. Rarely had he seen the other man get that upset that quickly. "Jase...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset you. I...I didn't know it had been that bad. But why wouldn't Tom come home to Angel Grove? Why did he want to go to Silver Hills instead?"

"Because Angel Grove didn't have the capability of helping him, not to the extent that he needed it." He took a couple of deep breaths and let them out slowly. "It was about three weeks before he could see again, Adam. Not to mention the damage done to other parts of his body."

Adam twisted quickly in his chair from how he had been sitting. "He was blind?! Why didn't I know about this?!"

"No one knew about it, Adam. That's why he wears glasses now. At least for reading, driving, and working on the computer. Sometimes for other stuff. Think about it Adam. When you first saw Tommy, the room was a bit dimmer than normal for a hospital room. It's because bright lights gave him headaches."

The former Black Ranger tried to recall events from a decade earlier. "I seem to remember that, but why didn't he want anyone to know? We're his friends, his _good_ friends...why exclude us like that?"

"Because a lot of you guys would have hovered. He was having a hard enough time with me being there every day and worrying about him. You know how he gets, Adam. We weren't doing it to be mean. Plus, you guys were just getting settled in your lives without having Ranger duties. Yeah, it might have been months, but still."

"How did he deal with it? I know he was scared...that had to be awful."

"A lot of meditation. Once he was able to, we started his rehab in the pool and hot tub. We went through a lot of movies and books as well. I'd read to him or we'd listen to one on tape." He grinned. "That's actually where we first met Wes."

"No way. Seriously? How did you meet that nut?"

"Apparently, he was trying to impress someone by showing off on a motorcycle. Of course he wrecked it and broke his leg in like three places. Didn't require surgery, which was lucky, but he was laid up for a bit. Ended up sharing a room with Tommy for a while."

Adam had to smile, in spite of all this new disturbing information. "Wes and Tommy locked up together in a room...bet that was interesting!"

Jason snorted. "I almost got kicked out of the hospital because I tied Wes to the bed with his sheets and gagged him with a dirty sock."

"You're kidding! What on earth did he do to deserve that?"

"He was singing 'Henry the 8th' and had been for about three hours. First couple, I was able to ignore him. Tom was having some tests done at the time, so he wasn't in the room. Then Wes started singing in different voices. That just sealed it."

Because Adam knew Wes as well as he did, he had to laugh. "Oh my gosh...I'll bet he drove poor Tommy crazy." He stopped though, and got serious again. "I thought there was something different about Tom when he started classes with us that Fall. And you guys were even closer, if that was even possible."

Nodding, Jason sighed, sitting back again. "We did a lot of talking while he was in the hospital. That accident--it shook him enough that it was almost four months before he really trusted himself driving again. That's why he quit the circuit and started school. We did all the applying and that while he was still in the hospital. If you remember, it was several months before we did any really serious sparring."

"Damn, that man sure has been through a lot. And even though he's in as much pain as he is right now, he was still really concerned about me and my problems. Told me to come up or call him anytime I needed to." He sighed.

"Because that's who he is, Adam. That's why he's the kind of friend you know will be there for you when it all goes to hell." He snorted. "Hell, that's why he looks after people like his TA. Tommy will deny he's hurting to those that don't really know him and go home acting like everything is fine, but as soon as that door is closed, he'll collapse in tears from the pain."

A pained look crossed Adam's face. "Tell me that doesn't happen much, Jase. Please. I can't take the thought of that." The fact that he was becoming very attached to Tommy suddenly dawned on him. '_But he's my friend, has been for a long time now. That's all it is....right?_'

"I wish I could Adam. It's happened a few times when I've gone up to see him, find out how he's doing. Then there are the calls I get from Hayley like the one six weeks ago. Or sometimes he'll call me, drunk and in pain, wanting to know if he can take anything to make it stop." He sighed. "It scares me sometimes."

"We've gotta do something. I don't know what, but we can't sit down here an hour and a half away and leave him up there by himself in that condition. If we do, then we're not really friends." He could feel the lines forming on his face. "If anything happens to him..." he trailed off as he lowered his head again.

"I know, but whoever goes is going to have to do some groundwork first. The biggest thing is finding work. I don't think it'd be hard to convince him to let whoever it is stay there. Although, it might take that kid he's mentoring a few times to get the idea it's not smart to sneak into the house anymore." He watched Adam as he thought over what was just said. '_Is he falling for him? Have I missed any chance at being able to keep Tom_?'

While Adam knew that of the three of them that were in Angel Grove--himself, Jason, and Rocky--it would be he or Jase that would be the one to move. Rocky and Tommy were friends and had been for a long time, but they just weren't as close as say, Jason and Tommy. Which brought Adam to his next question. "Jase, don't take this the wrong way--I'm just curious. Since you've been here all along and known about his condition...and considering that you guys are so close...why haven't you moved up there before now? For that matter, why are you letting anything keep you from being with Tommy permanently? I know you love him."

Jason blushed and hung his head a bit. "Mainly my dad. I've tried so hard to be a good son for him. Played football even though I didn't really want to, but it kept him off my back about martial arts. And when I said I was going to the police academy, he was happy for me. Then the wreck happened and I didn't go. Add to that the fact that he flat out refused to talk to me anytime I said I was with Tommy after I told him I was bi. He even hit me once and I just took it." He raised his eyes to Adam again. "I'm not ready to let him go just yet, Adam. I love Tommy, you're right about that, but I love my dad, too. And him not being able to accept me loving Tom and being with him, ends up with me and Tommy arguing. Until my dad accepts me like I am, or I'm ready to give up on him, I just--" He stopped and hung his head again. It was the one subject he and Tom had gone round and round on every time his best friend and sometime lover asked him to move in. It was the one point that kept them from being together full time.

"Jase, you've gotta stop living your life to make your dad happy. We're all pushing thirty pretty hard now--it's time you did what you wanted and loved who you wanted. I realize that you love and respect your parents, but you're not happy living a lie. Those girls you've been going out with are nothing more than hood ornaments and you know it."

After a long pause, Jason finally lifted his head and looked at Adam. "I know what you're saying is right bro, but my family means so much to me...I'm just not ready to make that step. I worry about Tommy a lot and I go to see him whenever I can, but...as far as giving up everything and starting a serious relationship with him...I just can't do it. Not yet."

"Do you expect him to wait around for you?" Adam asked, then didn't wait for an answer before he continued. "He deserves to have someone with him that cares about him Jase, and if you're not ready to be that person, for whatever reason, do you want him to wait for you?"

"No, of course I don't. I expect him to do what's best for him. If he were to find someone else that made him happy and would take care of him, I would be happy for him. A little disappointed and probably a little jealous, but I wouldn't try to stand in the way of his happiness. Surely you know me better than that."

"I do, but I just wanted to make sure you remembered that." He sat back a bit and stretched his legs out, wincing as his thigh protested the move. "And remember to never take one of his Muay Thai kicks to any place you might need for a week or so."

A grin broke out across Jason's face. "Oh? I take it you got the business end of one of 'em. Hurts, doesn't it?"

Adam snorted. "Nearly my entire upper thigh is bruised. 'Hurt' doesn't even cover it at times. Hell, we were only going 40% and I still think it's going to end up bruising almost down to the bone."

"Just think what it would have felt like if he were healthy. I got one full force about a year ago...took a couple of weeks before I could walk without a limp," he said with a giggle. Absently, he looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh crap Adam, we're gonna be late!" he said, jumping up and grabbing the empty take-out containers.

Standing up, Adam flexed his leg a bit. "Mind taking the first part of the class for me? I'm going to need to do some extra stretching to make sure I don't hurt something, especially for the advanced class."

"Sure, no problem," he said as he headed for the door. Then he turned back to his friend. "Adam, don't worry. We'll do something to make sure that someone is there for Tommy when he needs us. We'll just have to figure out what."

"I know, but something tells me we might need to be pushing things along a bit quicker. Think I'm going to start scouting stuff out for a dojo up there. He seems to think there could be a chance for one to make a good profit in Reefside, if it's done right." He followed Jason out the door and locked it behind him.

"Well, it's certainly something to think about. And you're right, we do need to start making some sort of arrangements--with or without Tommy's blessing." With that, he waved to Adam and climbed into his truck, headed for the dojo.

Climbing into his own truck, Adam followed Jason to the dojo, parking behind it so that they could enter through the back and get changed before opening the main door and letting their students in. When he walked into his office, he flipped on the light and grabbed his gi from the coat rack in the corner before heading to the locker room.

The office that he shared with Jason and Rocky wasn't that big, so he changed in the locker rooms. Only he didn't have a locker in there. Putting the hanger on a hook, he started changing and shot a look over at Jason. "So we're working on forms for the belt tests with the first group and some sparring with the second, right?" He wanted to make sure that he was on track with what they had talked about last week.

"Yeah, that's right. The belt test is coming up week after next and the black belt test is in three weeks. I think that..." he stopped and suddenly stared at Adam's thigh. "Damn boy...did Tommy do that to you or did you get hit by a truck?"

"Tommy did. Told you I thought it was going to end up bruising down to the bone. I soaked it for about half an hour in his hot tub last night and it was only starting to loosen it up then."

Jason knew it had to hurt, but he couldn't suppress a chuckle. "He's brutal. When and if he ever gets back to his old self, I don't think I'll spar with him anymore. Do you know he weighs as much as I do now?"

"I can believe it." He used some of the muscle rub they kept in the locker room on his thigh before putting his gi on. "And we will find a way to get him back to his old self, but if you think any of the rest of us are going to go against his ass, you're nuts. That man is all yours in that department."

Jason laughed. "Well, I guess that's as it should be considering he and I going at it was how our friendship started. Of course, then there was the whole trying to kill me thing... Man, I wish he could get past some of that."

"Hopefully, we can finally get him to let it go." Adam tied his belt into place. "Heck, maybe we can get Kyle and Hayley to help with that as well." He rolled his head a few times. "I'm going to go open the door and let them in. See you on the mats." Walking slowly, Adam headed to the front door, forcing himself to focus, for the next couple of hours at least, on his students more than on one of his best friends.

Three hours later, Adam had finished teaching both classes, locked up the dojo, and was making his way home. As he passed the place where the old Angel Grove Youth Center used to be, memories came flooding back and so did the worries about his former commander. '_What are we gonna do? Can I really deal with moving again so soon? Should it even be me? Maybe Jase should do it and if he's living up there it could help to pull those two together. I don't know._' He drove along, lost in thought until he reached his apartment complex. After parking, he ran over to the mailbox since he'd forgotten to do that when he'd gotten back from Reefside earlier in the day.

Pulling out the various pieces of mail, he saw a manila envelope squeezed into the back. With a frown, he removed it from the box and tucked the rest under his arm before locking it back. As he started towards his apartment, he read the return address and paused. _'Boston... God, what does that bitch want from me now?' _Sighing, he shook his head and continued the trek to his apartment.

After getting inside and kicking his shoes off, Adam started going through his mail, purposely leaving the big envelope until last. _'Whatever it is she wants, she can just get the hell over it. I'm done with her, her family, and her lawyer.'_ Eventually though, he found himself staring at it as it laid on the kitchen table. "Oh what the hell...may as well open it," he said as he grabbed it and tore it open with very little care.

Inside, on the firm's letterhead, was a letter from his lawyer. He read it once... then again before hurriedly removing the rest of the papers. The piece of paper that made it all real for him was on the letterhead of the District Clerk of Suffolk County. All it said was,

FINAL DECREE OF DIVORCE

D-1-FJ-98-284920

IN THE MATTER OF THE MARRIAGE OF TAE-HYUN JIN "ADAM" PARK VS. BROOKE LEIGH MCKINNON PARK

You are hereby notified that the above order has been signed on April 12, 2007 by the Judicial District Court of Suffolk County Massachusetts in the above numbered and entitled cause.

That was it. That's all it said.

"It's really over," he said to himself. He started reading through it again, to make sure he was reading it right. He removed the rest of the papers and found the final stamped and signed divorce petition along with a copy of the original petition. He sighed. "Everything I went through...everything I had with her...and it comes down to this."

He looked through the papers once again without any real reason. With a heavy sigh, he pushed them away and left them scattered across the table. "Fine. Whatever. Now I guess I just get on with the rest of my life."

He sat there for several minutes, going back and forth between staring into space and staring at the legal papers in front of him. "I wonder what she did when she got her copy? Her and her office boy probably went out and celebrated. Fuckin' bitch."

With that, he pushed himself up from the table and shuffled to the bathroom to take a long, hot shower. When the water finally started turning cold, Adam got out and dried off. He had just finished pulling on a clean pair of boxers and sleep pants when his phone rang. _'Wonder who that could be?'_ Walking over to the phone, he answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey Adam. I just thought I'd call and see how your classes went. I know you're probably still pretty sore from the weekend."

A soft smile graced his face as he chuckled softly. "Yeah, Jason asked me if I got hit by truck. Told him no, I jumped in front of your leg to save a student."

"I'm still sorry about that, Froggy. Next time we spar, you owe me a bruise," Tommy laughed.

"We'll see. Can't give you anything that would be noticeable. Your students might think someone was trying to hurt you." He laughed again. "Or your TA might think you were into the rough stuff. He already thinks we're sleeping together."

Tommy briefly remembered the conversation he'd had with Kyle at the market. "Ahh...don't worry about what Kyle thinks. He's gonna think what he wants regardless," he laughed. "How were your classes?"

"Yeah, I bet he will." Walking over to the fridge, he grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and went over to the couch. "Classes were okay. I had Jase take half of the first one so I could stretch out a little better. Don't need to add a pull or strain to anything. Second class," taking a drink, he sighed, "I want to string up by their belts and beat with an Escrima stick."

"What on earth have they done?" Tommy chuckled.

He snorted as he plopped onto the couch. "What haven't they done? They're supposed to be the advanced class and five of them are testing for black belt in about three weeks, but sometimes I think the beginning kids have more respect."

"How old are they? Want me and Jase to come and teach them some respect?"

"Jason was there. This is the group that I want you to help me scare by coming in and sparring with Jason. The oldest one is twenty and the youngest just turned fourteen."

"I think something could be arranged. Maybe when I come down to visit your school, Rex and I can go at it. Got any know-it-all smart-asses in that class?"

"Two. One that gave Jase lip tonight, which I'm surprised the kid was able to walk out of the school after he was used to 'demonstrate' proper fall techniques."

"Would they happen to be legal adults who've signed release forms?" he asked with a giggle. "Cause if they are, I'd be happy to 'demonstrate' some Muay Thai moves on them. At only about 30-40%, of course."

"They are and I would be more than happy for you to arrange a 'demonstration' of Thai techniques with them as your 'volunteers'." He chuckled softly. "Considering that Jase and I neither one will be volunteering to do it."

"No? Ah, come on. I'll take it easy on ya!" he laughed. "Well, we'll have to arrange something then." He paused. "Glad you got back to Angel Grove alright. Remember, my hot tub's yours any time you need it. You need to visit more often anyway." Tommy could hear in Adam's voice that something was bothering him, but decided not to push. _'Maybe,' _he thought_, 'he's just tired.'_

"Oh trust me, I remember that. Could actually use it a bit tonight. Ran the shower out of hot water." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Hell, could use some of that scotch you've got, too." He was quiet for a moment. "You know, I had a pretty good weekend up there. Re-connecting with you, meeting Kyle and just being able to relax a little. Gotta thank you for that."

"I'm glad you had a good time. I enjoyed it too--I really did. And I'm sorry about Kyle. He's just...well...he's just Kyle." He paused and chuckled. "I guess I need to go--gotta get up for school in the morning. Let's stay in touch, okay?"

"Don't worry about it, T. He seems to be a good kid. Just needs someone to watch out for him a bit." He tried to fight off a yawn, but couldn't. "Yeah, I should probably be getting to bed as well." He was quiet for a moment. "I'll definitely be staying in touch Tommy. Besides, you're coming down soon, right? To help me scare a bit of sense into my students. I'd tell you that you can stay with me, but I think my place is a bit small. And the bed ain't the greatest either."

"That's no problem. I can either stay with Jase or at my parents' place. And yes, I'll come down soon to hang out with you guys...promise."

"Good. Let me know when you're coming down and we'll plan some stuff." He fought down another yawn. "I'm gonna let you go, man. And Tommy, please take care of yourself? For me, as a friend, if not for yourself."

"I will. And you take care of yourself too, okay? I'll talk to you soon."

"I will." With that, they ended the call and Adam put the phone back on its cradle and headed for bed, but before he got even halfway there, the phone rang again. "What did you forget?" he asked, sure that it was Tommy.

"Um, nothing that I know of. Adam?" Xander was hoping he'd gotten the number right, but was already forming an apology in his mind if he had the wrong one.

Surprised at the Australian accent coming through the phone, he stammered a little. "Oh...uh...sorry...was expecting someone else. This is Adam."

"Good, was thinking for a moment that I had the wrong number. It's Xander. Hope I didn't wake you."

"Oh, hey Xander. No, you didn't. I wasn't in bed yet. How've you been?"

"Good. Been busy, but good. How about you?"

"Oh, the same. My dojo is still getting off the ground and I have a lot of work to do over there. Spent the weekend with an old friend, trying to catch up with all the people I've missed since I was out East. You remember Kira's Dr. O, right?" He grinned a little, thinking how the girl's eyes lit up every time she talked about her former teacher and mentor.

"Yeah, he was one of the first, right? Only started off evil and then became her mentor before joining them for what? His fourth, fifth color?"

Adam chuckled. "Yeah, that's him. Tommy Oliver. Still can't get used to calling him 'Doctor'. And it was his fourth color."

"Is that the friend you caught up with? I know that you were asking Kira for his number so you could give him a call." He laughed softly. "From what you said, it does seem like a big leap. Well, it sounds like you had fun, which means my news will be that much easier for you to hear."

"Oh? And what news would that be?"

"Well, I told you guys how I was engaged, right? Well, she's been feeling a bit off the past week or so and we went to the doctor today."

"Oh? Is she okay? Her name is Madison, right?"

"Yeah it is and she should be okay in about 8 and a half months. We're going to have a baby."

Adam could hear the younger man's smile through the phone. "Really? That's great, Xander! Congratulations!"

"Thanks. We've been calling people since we got back this afternoon. When Maddie told Tori, you could hear the squeal from across the room."

"Awww, that's great. I know you're happy about it--I can hear it in your voice. I'm sure you'll both be great parents."

"I really am. We've talked about it, but weren't really trying. Decided to get married a few months after the baby's born, so be expecting an invite to the wedding probably next spring."

"Cool--I'd love to come. Well, good luck with everything and let me know when the baby's born, okay?"

"Will do, man. I'll let you go so you can get some sleep. I'll get your address and stuff from you later. Night Adam." He hung up, then looked down the list of names he had, seeing who was next.

Adam hung up and smiled slightly. He liked Xander and was happy that the young man was going to be a father. Of course, the news could have come at a better time. Here he was getting the final notice that his marriage was over--no wife, no kids, hell...he didn't even have a house anymore...and there was Xander...engaged, just found out that he's gonna be a dad, getting married... Adam sighed deeply and shook his head.

Putting the phone back on the charger, he headed once again for his bedroom. At least with him and Brooke, there were no kids to fight over. While he wouldn't mind kids, a divorce was something he would find hard to put them through, especially with the custody battle that would have ensued solely because the McKinnon's had money. Shutting the door, he walked over to his bed and took a seat before just falling backwards. _'And the day started off so well, too. If I had known this is how things were going to turn out, I might have stayed another day at Tommy's and just let Jason take the classes for me.'_

He laid there for a few minutes, all sorts of thoughts swimming through his mind. Eventually, he managed to crawl under the sheets and settle down. _'Tommy's bed is much more comfortable that this,' _he thought._ 'And I kinda miss having someone beside me, too.'_

He reached over and turned off the light, then laid there, staring up at the ceiling. '_Was he really flirting with me? Or has it been so long that what we used to do in friendship just seemed like he was?'_

Thankfully, he was getting too tired to think anymore. _'I'll think more about it tomorrow. Maybe I can figure something out then.'_ He slowly drifted off into a fitful sleep, sure that his dreams wouldn't be pleasant ones.

* * *

Adam slept in the next day, tired and somewhat drained from the weekend. He was still a bit sore—some from his classes, but mostly from the bruises that his old friend had put on him. He rubbed his thigh absently as he walked into the kitchen to find something for breakfast. Or was it lunch? He wasn't sure.

Walking by the kitchen table, his eyes scanned over the legal papers still spread out on it. _'Fuckin' bitch,'_ was all that went through his mind. Pulling something out of the freezer, he tossed it into the microwave and went into the living room to turn on the TV. _ 'Lovely...daytime TV. What a thrill.' _ He toyed with the idea of just going down to the dojo and catching up on paperwork. _'Why not? I got nothing better to do, right?'_

After eating the little bit of food that he'd fixed for himself, the former Green Zeo Ranger laid down on the couch to try to keep himself entertained. He couldn't pay attention to anything on the tube, though. His mind was still occupied by all the various thoughts that were swirling around in there.

The final divorce decree; how bitter he was about the way his marriage ended, leaving him alone in a tiny apartment feeling like a used piece of garbage; Xander's phone call last night and how happy he sounded; and then there was Tommy. So many different emotions and questions were associated with that name right now. First and foremost, his friend's physical condition was the cause of a lot of worry. Regardless of what Tommy said, it was obvious that the man was in a lot of pain. And from what Jase had told him, Adam was sure that he was getting worse. And how much did the racing accident contribute to his current state?

As he had thought, Tommy and Jason _had_ been keeping stuff from the rest of them. Remembering the conversation with his friend from the day before, he shook his head. It really tore Jason up just talking about it. There had to have been some permanent damage from an accident that bad. The question was, what could be done about it? Especially since Tommy himself didn't seem open to exploring all avenues of possible treatment. _'Hard-headed fool. Does he enjoy being in pain?'_

Adam stopped and thought about that. _'Of course he doesn't, but he does seem to think he deserves it. That is, if what Jason says is true. And knowing __Tommy, I wouldn't doubt it. But that's crazy—why can't he see that? He __absolutely wasn't responsible for what he did under Rita's control. And I'm not sure what all went on with this Mercer/Mesogog thing, but...he couldn't have been as responsible as he thinks. Tommy's a good man—he always has been. Heart of gold. Why does he have to blame himself for everything all __the time?'_

Other thoughts concerning his former commander were also swimming through Adam's mind. He had gone to Reefsideto spend some time with an old friend—to reconnectand relax. He had definitely done that, but...he came away with the feeling that something else was going on there. Question was, was it all in his head? Had he been lonely and done without for so long that he was reading too much into Tommy's actions and words? But if he was right and there was a spark there, no matter how small it was at the moment, was he ready? Ready for any kind of relationship? He wasn't at all sure about that. And the idea of entering into something more than friendship with another man, especially a close friend—that scared him. No need to deny it.

But as Tommy had so off-handedly reminded him, Adam had 'tested the waters' back in college and might have continued along that path if he hadn't met Brooke. _'Damn...probably would've been better off with a guy,'_ he thought with a sneer on his face, glancing in the direction of the papers on the table.

_'Oh what the fuck ever...I can't sit around here all day,' _he thought, getting disgusted with himself._ 'I think I _will_ just go on down to the school.'_

With that, he drug himself up from the couch, turned off the TV and went to get dressed. Maybe he could salvage this day after all.

* * *

Once he had sat in his small office going over his finances for a couple of hours, Adam actually felt a little better. His fledgling business was really coming along quite well. He had a good number of students already with more signing up all the time. Apparently, Angel Grove had been in need of a good, traditional martial arts school and that's exactly what Adam was providing. Of course, it helped that two of his instructors were very well-trained, multi-degree black belts who happened to be his best friends and who also happened to be teaching there free of charge—but naturally, Adam did pay them something for helping him out. The thought of him being the boss and Jason and Rocky his employees—that was funny. He didn't think of it that way, though. They were all still good friends who had fun hanging out and teaching various martial arts skills to anyone who wanted to learn. The only difference was now Adam wrote the checks to pay the bills and they all got paid for teaching. Weird how things turn out.

The ringing phone jarred him from his thoughts as he reached out to answer it. "Jae Shin Do Martial Arts, this is Master Park. May I help you?" he answered. That still sounded funny too. It turned out to be a woman that he had graduated from high school with who wanted to enroll her oldest son in karate classes. She had heard through the Angel Grove grapevine that Adam owned and ran the place and that Jason and Rocky were teaching there--she really wanted her son to learn from them. She had been one of the many high school kids who hung out at the Youth Center after school and she vividly remembered watching them all spar and train. She even asked if Tommy was teaching there.

Adam had laughed. "No, believe it or not, he's a high school science teacher in Reefside," he had told her. "A doctor of paleontology." She was amazed. So a meeting was set up for later that day for her and her husband to come in with the boy and sign him up for classes.

_'I guess sometimes it pays to live in a small town,'_ he thought.

It did. The majority of his students were either old friends or the children of old friends, but word was getting out and he was content with that for now.

Half an hour later, he heard the back door being unlocked, opened, and relocked. 'Must be either Rocky or Jason.' Moments later, a head poked in the door.

"Hey man, what are you doing here already?" Rocky asked.

"I work here, remember?" Adam said, getting up from his desk to put something away in the file cabinet.

"I know, but...I just didn't expect you to be here already."

"Well, I needed to catch up on some paperwork and I really had nothing to do at the house to keep me busy, so...here I am."

Rocky made himself comfortable on the small couch and watched his best friend work for a few minutes. "So, how was your weekend at Tommy's? Have fun?"

"Ummm yeah, I did," Adam answered, hardly looking up from his desk.

"What did you guys do?"

His friend didn't answer right away. After several moments, he said, "Oh you know...went out to eat, watched some movies, went shopping, sparred, jogged...that sorta thing." Again, he scarcely looked up.

Rocky noticed right away that Adam didn't seem himself. Either he was really tired, or something had upset him and the former Red Ranger thought he knew what.

"He's got you worried, doesn't he? Jase told me the condition he was in when he was up there last month. Hard to believe that Tommy, of all people, could get so bad off." He paused and then asked, "How is he, Adam?"

The former Black Ranger stopped what he was doing and sighed heavily. At last, he looked Rocky in the eyes and his friend could see the worry on his face before he even spoke.

"Rocko...I'm scared for him, I really am. Whatever Jase told you, he didn't say enough. And he's up there practically by himself—if he needed someone, what would he do?" Adam sighed again and then proceeded to tell Rocky about the condition their good friend was in.

"But you said you sparred with him, right? He can't be all that bad off if he can still spar," Rocky offered.

"It comes and goes, apparently. He's bigger and stronger than he's ever been, but when that pain hits, it cripples him. But I'll tell you one thing, I'll think twice before I spar with him again. When I change into my gi, I'll show you the bruise he put on me."

Rocky grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. You know he's been studying Muay Thai, right? Have you seen the size of his legs lately?"

"Yes and no, in that order."

"He could cut you in half with those shins. He's every bit as big as Jase, Rocko. And he's taller, so he's pushing 210-215 now."

"Damn. Well, when he comes down in a couple of weeks, I'm sure I'll get a good look," Rocky responded.

"How do you know he's coming down in a couple of weeks?" Adam asked.

"Oh...ummm...well, I just thought that he'd be coming down to see the school and all, right?" Rocky lied. He made a mental note to kick himself in the ass at his earliest convenience—he'd nearly given away Adam's surprise there.

"Uh huh...you don't lie very well, Rocky. What's up?"

"Nothing...it's like I said. Maybe Jase said something to me about it, I don't know. Anyway," he said, trying desperately to change the subject, "when is our favorite paramedic supposed to get here? He was going to teach me something before class tonight."

Adam eyed him suspiciously and then looked at the clock. "Another twenty minutes or so. Why don't we go change?"

"Sure, sounds like a plan. Besides, I want to see the damage," he giggled.

They went into the locker room and Adam revealed the large, black and blue bruise on his upper thigh that their former commander had put there. Rocky drew in a quick breath and grimaced.

"Ouch! He did that with his shin?"

Adam nodded.

"Remind me not to spar with him," Rocky said, then reached out and poked the unsightly mark.

"Hey! Don't do that...asshole," Adam said while swatting his hand away.

Rocky grinned at his friend. "Aw, does wittle Adam have an owie? Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

Adam tilted his head in his friend's direction. "You know, if you'd like a matching one, I'm sure I could oblige you, Ape Man."

"Oh, like you could right now, Frogboy." He quickly reached a hand out and ruffled Adam's hair.

The former Green Ranger snatched Rocky's hand and, bringing his arm up behind his back, slid his other arm around his friend's throat. He proceeded to pull him up from the bench where he'd been sitting. "How's that, Jerkface?"

Rocky rolled his eyes and grabbed the wrist of the hand that was across his throat, turning it outward and putting pressure on the joint before dropping downwards. "You were saying?" He flipped Adam over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at the former Black Ranger. "Getting old there, Adam?"

Adam let go of Rocky as he landed on his back, but swung his legs around, knocking the other man to the floor before moving over to pin him to the ground. "You were saying?"

Bursting in the door and rushing over to where the two men were, Jason had expected to be breaking up a tussle between two of his teenage students. "What the..." he stopped when he saw who it was that was making all that noise. "Well, well...aren't we being role models. I should give you both 10," he said, shaking his head.

Rocky pouted. "Aw, come on Sensei. He started it." He bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Adam protested. "Did not! He poked my bruise!"

"Well, I just wanted to see what it felt like."

Jason rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Oh my God...would you two 'gentlemen', and I use the term loosely, get up off the floor and get outta here? I'm sure you have something better you could be doing, Masters Park and DeSantos. Damn..."

Rocky chuckled softly and got up as Adam sat up. "No problem Master Scott." He finished getting his gi on and was tying his belt into place as he walked out of the locker room. "Just remember that you promised to show me a new move, bro."

Adam shook his head as his friend walked out, then looked up at Jason. "Sorry about that." He got up slowly, flexing his right leg to ease the cramp that was developing from the way he had Rocky pinned.

Jason grinned. "No problem. Actually, it's kinda funny." He hung his gi up and starting changing. "Oh by the way, I talked to Tommy this afternoon. He said to tell Froggy 'Hey' for him. So...Hey!" he chuckled.

"How'd he sound?" He finished changing and tied his belt, then took a seat on the bench to talk with Jase while he changed.

"He sounded good, actually. Seems pretty happy." He stopped and raised an eyebrow at his friend. "You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would ya?"

Adam shrugged. "Maybe. I know that it felt pretty good to see him again. Although, seeing him like that was a bit hard at first and it makes me worry about him. Still, it was good to catch up and if it made his weekend, then I'm glad."

Smiling warmly at his serious friend, Jason said, "I think it did do him good, Adam. But you should know, he's pretty worried about you too."

He cocked his head, frowning slightly. "Why? Because of that bi---... because of Brooke?"

"He said that he knew you were still pretty torn up about the whole thing because you were on edge a lot this weekend. He could tell that you're still hurting." Jason locked eyes with his friend. "Is there anything we can do, bro?"

Sighing softly, Adam shook his head. "Not really. It helped some talking with Tommy about it."

Jason placed a big hand on his friend's back. "That's good--I'm glad. He always has been a good listener. I am too, ya know. So...if you ever need to talk...I'm here for ya man, okay?"

"I appreciate that, Jase. And I might take you up on it, but just, not right now." He met Jason's eyes again. "It's still a bit too raw, you know?" _'Especially after getting those papers from the bitch yesterday.'_

Nodding his head slowly, the original Red Ranger tried to console his friend. "You deserve better, Adam, and I'm sure you'll find someone to make you happy. But if you ever need me for anything, you know where I am. Now, I gotta stretch out for class. You okay?"

"Yeah, I will be--just a little tired today. Thanks Jase." He put his head in his hands for a moment. Maybe he should have tried to go back to sleep for a bit.

While Jason and Rocky taught, Adam was busy in the office, finishing paperwork and meeting with the couple that had called earlier. As it turned out, he knew both of the parents—they had graduated with him and had gotten together while in college. According to them, they had started dating during their junior year and had gotten married soon after. Their son was six years old now and they had another one on the way—due in about two weeks. As soon as Adam had caught sight of the mother, he had jumped up to find a pillow to help cushion the hard wooden chair in his office. She already looked uncomfortable enough. They were a nice family—the son seemed to be well-behaved and respectful of his parents—a good sign.

_'Just the kind of son I'd like to have some day,'_ Adam thought.

After a little more 'hey, do you remember what's-his-name' and talk about high school, the young family left and Adam joined his friends out on the mats. Once all the students had left, Rocky talked Adam into working off a little stress with him.

Jason was watching from off to the side as Adam and Rocky sparred a bit. He could tell that Adam was a bit distracted during class and it was even more apparent during the impromptu spar. He was about to say something when he watched Rocky catch Adam on the right thigh with a round kick. Shaking his head, he made his way to the former Black Ranger. "You okay, Adam?"

Adam had grabbed his thigh and hissed loudly. "Uhh, damn..." he groaned. Once he caught his breath, he straightened up. "Yeah...I'm okay." He wasn't convincing.

"Why don't we call it a night? You need to get off that leg for a bit... put it up... ice it. Might want to take a couple Tylenol or Aleve if you've got it."

Adam limped over to a chair. "Yeah, I will. I just need to sit for a minute."

Rocky walked over to him. "I'm so sorry, man. I tried to pull it when I realized where it was going to hit."

Master Park looked up at his best friend. "It's okay Rocky, I know you didn't mean to." He sat and rubbed it gently for a minute. "Tommy will be glad to know that you both have similar aim."

Jason chuckled softly as he knelt by Adam and pushed his hand out of the way. "Falcon boy has unbelievable aim for this kind of stuff." He started gently massaging the area on Adam's leg. "Ape Man there just gets lucky from time to time." He looked up at Adam. "Seriously though, tonight prop your leg up a bit and ice it. Use some of that muscle rub and I've got a bruise cream in my bag that might help as well."

"Alright, I will." He let Jason continue massaging for a couple of minutes. "Listen, I've gotta go by the grocery store before I can go home, so I need to get outta here. Would you guys close up for me?"

Rocky nodded. "Yeah, no problem man. It's the least I can do after that kick."

Standing up, Jason nodded at him. "Come on, I'll go with you to the locker room and give you that other cream." He held a hand out to his friend.

After changing into his regular clothes and getting the cream from Jason, Adam headed out the back door. "Thanks guys--see you tomorrow." He was able to walk with only a slight limp, but it still hurt like hell. "Man, that's just my luck--hit twice in the exact same spot." Getting into his truck, he started toward the grocery store, trying to decide what he needed to get. As he stopped at a traffic light, he watched a young couple pushing a stroller cross in front of him. He shook his head slightly. "Man, is there a population explosion going on or what?"

Once the light changed, he continued on to the store. After parking, he started inside. _'Okay, so need bread for sure and juice. Guess I'll just have to see what looks good once I get in there.'_

Wandering through the aisles, he picked up several things that he could fix easily without burning down his apartment. He ran into a few people that he knew inside the store. Two of which were older ladies that were acquaintances of his mother's. Once he'd spoken to them and turned the corner into the next aisle, he happened to overhear their conversation.

"Well, you know the only reason he's back in town is that his marriage failed. Luckily he has enough smarts to do something he's good at, but I always did wonder about that boy."

"What do you mean? I always thought Carolyn's son was sweet. He's always been very polite to me," the second lady said.

"Oh, I never meant to imply that he wasn't polite, but did you ever wonder why most of his friends were boys? I mean, he only dated once that I know of, girls anyway. Who's to say that his marriage didn't fail because she found out that he was swinging for the other team."

Adam felt like he'd been hit in the chest. He didn't really know these ladies and it shouldn't have mattered to him what they thought, but to hear that right now was not something he needed. He sighed deeply and shook his head. _'I should've stayed in bed today,' _he thought as he headed for the check-out. He really hadn't finished getting his groceries, but he had completely lost interest. _'I just wanna go home.'_

After paying for what he had bought and loading it in his truck, Adam started for home. _'The divorce decree... Xander calling... man, it's been a helluva 24hrs.'_

All the way home, he thought about what the ladies in the store had said. _'How dare they even speculate that I might be gay just because they only knew about one girl that I dated. Old biddies...got nothing better to do than __talk about other people. Now _that's_ the drawback to living in a small town.'_

He got his groceries into the house and put away the things that had to go into the fridge or freezer. The rest he left on the table. Going into the bedroom, shedding clothes as he went, he put on his sleep pants and then plopped on the couch and turned on the TV.

Flipping through the channels, everything that seemed to be on was about someone having a kid... someone going through a divorce... Shaking his head, he finally settled on a repeat of CSI. _'I should eat something, but I'm just not in the mood. God, why can't people keep their opinions to themselves?!'_

He sat and fumed about that for a few minutes. _'My preferences are nobody's business but my own. I should've went back around and told those old women what really happened to my marriage--that the nasty whore found somebody else that she'd rather fuck!'_ He growled at the thought of that. Picking up the hardback book on the coffee table, he chucked it at the wall and took out the picture that hung there.

He got up, pacing back and forth in his living room, hands on his hips.

"And then she tried to lie about it to my face! AWW! That fucking bitch!" Using his arm, he swept the pictures and books that were on one of his shelves to the floor.

"I shoulda went after him...I shoulda acted like a man and went over there and beat the living hell outta him! God, why did I have to act like such a wuss? I just walked off and let him have her...not that I wanted her anymore after that." He stomped into the kitchen and looked into the fridge. "Damn it! Now I gotta go back out!" Slamming the fridge door shut, he went back into the bedroom and pulled on a hoodie and his shoes. "I need a damn drink," he spat as he grabbed his keys and headed out to the parking lot.

The liquor store up the street from his apartment was not a place that he usually frequented. Today was definitely an exception to that. Going inside, he grabbed a bottle each of some 'guys' he knew: Jose, Johnny, Jim and Jack. The four J's and any one of them were guaranteed to help a man drown his sorrows.

The clerk was a guy about his age that he thought he recognized. "Having a party?" he asked casually as he rang up the liquor and a couple six packs of an imported bottle beer. "You could say that," Adam answered. _'A pity party,'_ he thought. He picked up his packages and drove back to his apartment, giving the mailbox a glance. "Forget that...probably just more bad news in there."

Taking his packages inside, he locked the door and applied the safety chain. Then he shed his hoodie and shoes, tossing them and leaving them where they fell. A trip to the cabinet produced a tumbler and he added an ice cube to that before pouring some of the scotch into the glass. He took a long drink, relishing the burn as it slid down his throat. _'Just need to be able to stop thinking for a while.'_

When the glass was empty, he poured some more and drained that. And again. He had three good-sized drinks before he even sat down. Moving toward the couch, he kicked several items out of his way without really looking down. Finally plopping down in front of the TV, he lost count how many times he filled and drained the glass.

As he went to fill the glass yet again, the phone rang. He looked over debating whether or not he wanted to spare the energy to get up and answer it. Finally, he decided that it wasn't worth it and refilled his glass before sitting back on the couch once again.

When that glass was drained, he moved to fill it again. As he sat up and reached for the bottle, his world spun madly for a few moments before he toppled forward, barely missing the table before landing in a heap face first on the floor. As his eyes slid shut of their own free will, he sighed. _'Least now I don't have to think.' _His breathing slowed and evened out as he gave in to the call of the darkness.

Sometime later, Adam had no idea how long, he struggled to his knees and crawled to the bathroom to take care of business. Being very unsteady on his feet, he used the wall to guide him as he tried to make his way to the bedroom. He stumbled and fell at least once before pulling himself into the bed and passing out again.

When the accursed sun came streaming in the windows some hours later, Adam woke with a loud groan. He struggled from the tangle of sheets and pulled the blinds closed with such force that they were nearly ripped from the window frame. Bleary eyes tried to focus on the alarm clock, but he still couldn't see well enough to make out the numbers.

"Screw it—I don't have any reason to get up," he mumbled to himself and fell back onto the bed, curling up around a body pillow.

When he next saw the light of day, he had been woken by the need to relieve himself. After shuffling to the bathroom, he made his eyes focus on the state of his living room. Adam looked at the broken frames and trophies scattered on the floor and felt bad about it for a moment or two. Then the anger retook him.

"Nothing important anyway," he growled and went into the kitchen to find something to ease his dry throat.

The Gatorade helped some and he did feel a little hungry, but he had very little in the house to eat. His abbreviated visit to the grocery store the night before had not provided him with much. He remembered that well and it still hurt.

"Ol' bats—I should've told 'em off!" he groused.

He managed to make himself a sandwich, but he only took a few bites before abandoning it. He tossed it aside and pulled another bottle of liquor out of the brown paper bag. That's what he really wanted. He started with a small drink, but quickly began pouring more and more into the glass.

Somewhere along the way, he noticed the time. _'I don't feel like facing those kids tonight—especially not that bastard Brad. If I'd've been Jase the other night, I'd've wiped the floor with his ass. Better call the guys and tell them that I'm not coming tonight.' _

Picking up the phone and dialing Jason's number, he told the Original Red Ranger that he wasn't feeling well and was really tired. Jason happily agreed to teach for him. Now that was done—he could just stay home and be alone. Just him and the bottle of the night.

The next day went pretty much the same way. He left the house once to go out and get some beer and more liquor, and then holed up in his apartment for the rest of the day. This time, he called Rocky to take his classes.

The next few days kinda ran together until Adam didn't really know what time it was or even what day it was and didn't particularly care. Many times during his more sober moments, he had thought about calling Tommy, thinking that, of all his friends, he would be the most likely to understand. But he never did. For one reason or another, he'd always dismiss the idea as a bad one and go back to drinking.

Taking out his aggression on inanimate objects became a daily thing. Every time he would allow himself to think about his now ex-wife, her infidelity, her uppity family that never really liked him anyway, the situation that he had found himself in out in Boston, etc., etc. he would start throwing and breaking things. He even punched the wall several times, leaving good-sized holes.

His misery continued throughout the weekend, until sometime on Monday. While attempting to get up off the couch, Adam stepped on one of the discarded liquor bottles and fell backwards, striking his head hard against the table. He was unconscious before he actually met the floor as a large lump began forming on the back of his head.

Jason looked up as Rocky came into the office. When Adam hadn't shown up that day, he'd come in to cover the classes. Now, the second Red Ranger was pacing the office. "What's on your mind, Rock?"

He stopped and looked Jason in the face. "When was the last time you heard from Adam?"

"Wednesday, when he called to tell me that he wasn't feeling good and asked if I'd take the classes for him. Considering how tired and distracted he looked Tuesday night, I could believe it." He sat back. "How about you?"

"Thursday. He called and asked me to take the classes because he said he was tired and felt like he was coming down with something. I've tried several times to call him—I just tried again before I came in here—but he won't answer." He paused and thought. "You haven't heard from him since Wednesday? It's Monday, Jase--that's four days!"

"I tried calling him Friday and yesterday, but he wasn't answering either his house phone or cell." He was quiet for a moment. "Think we should go over there?" Jason had just assumed that Adam had called his best friend, even if he wouldn't talk to anyone else.

Rocky thought for a minute about that. Adam was a grown man and under normal circumstances, he'd call if he needed help, but Rocky was afraid that these circumstances were anything but normal. "Yeah...I think we should."

Jason suddenly had an idea. "Hang on--let me try something." Picking up the phone, he dialed a number he knew very well.

"Hello?"

"Hey Tommy...listen, have you heard from Adam by any chance?"

Tommy frowned. "No, not since he got home from visiting me last Monday. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Well, probably not. He called in Wednesday and Thursday saying that he wasn't feeling well and asked Rocky and me to take his classes. Only thing is, we haven't heard from him since. I was hoping that he'd called you."

"No, he hasn't. I actually tried to call him Saturday, but his cell went straight to voice mail and no one answered his house phone."

"Ah well...it was a shot. I guess we're gonna have to go over there," Jason answered, starting to get really worried. He had no idea what they'd find when they got in that apartment. His experience as a paramedic made him even more leery. "Okay, thanks Tommy. We'll let you know when we find out something."

"Yeah, please do Jase. I'll be at home all night. Kyle was supposed to stop by, but I think I'll call him and tell him that I'll just see him at school tomorrow." He was starting to get worried about his friend now, especially after some of the stuff that Adam had revealed to him that weekend.

"I will, bro...and try not to worry. I'm sure it's nothing," he told Tommy, but he didn't believe that any more than his friend did. Hanging up, he got up suddenly and started heading toward the door. "Let's lock up and get over there--something's not right."

Rocky nodded. "All we have to do is lock the door behind us. I already did the rest while you were on the phone with Tommy." He was quiet for a moment. "Hate to ask Jase, but do you have your jump kit with you? I don't think Adam would ever do anything to harm himself, but it's not like him to just drop out of touch."

"Yeah, I always keep it in my truck. Let's go." They went out the back door and locked it, then climbed into Jason's SUV. On the way over there, both men were quiet--a sure sign that they were worried.

Once they reached the apartment, Jason parked beside Adam's truck. "Well, at least we know he's here."

Rocky climbed out and looked over at Jason. "He given you a key yet?" He shut his door and joined Jason on the other side.

"No, he hasn't. I guess we'll start by pounding on the door. If that doesn't work, we'll kick it down."

"Hope it doesn't come to that." Rocky followed him to Adam's apartment, noticing the couple of newspapers and pizza coupons that had been dropped at the door—some were stuck _in_ the door. No one had opened it in days, it appeared.

Rocky cleared his throat, then pounded on the door. "Adam! Are you in there?"

Nothing. No sound came from inside. Jason stepped over to the door and knocked loudly. "Adam?...Adam please come to the door. We're worried about you. Can you hear me?" he asked in a loud voice. He waited a few seconds and then knocked again. "Adam! If you can hear me, I need you to open this door!"

They heard a door opening alright, but it wasn't Adam's. It was his neighbor across the breezeway. Jason put on his best professional voice.

"I'm sorry if we disturbed you. Our friend Adam Park lives here and we haven't heard from him in a few days. We're starting to get a little worried. You haven't seen him by any chance, have you?"

The middle-aged lady stepped a little ways out of her apartment to talk to the two young men. "No, I haven't. I usually see him at least once or twice a day, but the last few days—nothing. I thought he might have gone on a trip or something, but his truck is out there."

Rocky and Jason nodded. "I did hear a big crash coming from in there a couple of days ago, but I thought maybe he just knocked something over and broke it. It's all very strange," she said, looking a bit worried herself.

"You haven't heard loud voices like an argument or anything, have you?" Rocky asked.

"No. Except for that loud crash, I haven't heard a thing."

"Thank you, ma'am. We're gonna get in there and find out what's going on, one way or another. If I have to, I'll break the door down—don't let it frighten you, okay?" Jason told her. "I'm a paramedic—I'll handle things."

She nodded and returned to her own apartment while the boys tried to decide what to do. They were at the end of their patience. Worry was taking over and if they told the truth, each was having thoughts about what they were going to find--and they weren't pretty.

"Adam...one last chance...open the door or I'm gonna kick it in," Jason commanded using his 'leader voice'. They waited to see what would happen.

He had decided to give their friend exactly two minutes to open up or he was gonna take that door down. Just as time was running out, the neighbor came hurrying back out.

"Wait...Mr. Landers, the landlord, is on his way over here to let you in. I called him and told him what was going on and he said he'd unlock the door for you. He's an older man, a widower, who seems to have taken a liking to 'our little Adam',"she said.

"Good, I really didn't want to bust the door down anyway," Jason said. Rocky was conspicuously quiet. The worry was getting to him.

Before very long, an older man with white hair showed up with a big ring of keys. He introduced himself as Jake Landers and then asked the men how they knew Adam. After explaining that they were old friends, Jason showed the older man his fire department ID and badge, proving that he was a paramedic.

Seemingly convinced, Mr. Landers found the key to Adam's apartment and unlocked the door for them. However, he wouldn't go in.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do," was all he said as he turned to walk away.

Jason watched Mr. Landers leave and tentatively opened the door. _'Please, please God don't let that smell be here.'_

The last time he'd gone on a call where the person hadn't been seen for a few days, they had found them dead on the floor. He shivered as his thoughts turned briefly to that day.

_'The smell is what I'll never forget. That sickly sweet smell of death--there was no real way to describe it, but once you had smelled it, you would never forget it. If we get that door open and I get hit with that smell, I'm gonna freak...' _Shaking his head, Jason pulled himself out of those thoughts and pushed the door open.

The first thing that hit him was the odor: stale alcohol, old food, and vomit. He relaxed slightly and stepped into the darkened apartment only to hear the crunch of glass beneath his feet.

"Watch your step Rocko. There's glass on the floor." He walked a couple of steps over. "See if you can find a light switch."

"No problem." Rocky eased in the door, wrinkling his nose at the smell and found the light switch. When he hit the lights, he gasped at the destruction that he found. "Damn. I can't believe Adam did this."

Glass littered the floor from broken picture frames; trophies had been swept from the shelves that once held them and joined the other detritus that resided there. There were even a couple of holes in the walls that looked like they had been made by fists. Empty liquor bottles piled around the couch and mixed with the beer bottles.

"We need to find him," Jason stated, moving further into the apartment. "Adam! Where are you man?" He opened doors as he came to them. The bathroom was empty, but the toilet hadn't been flushed after someone had last puked in it. Flushing the contents, Jason was at least relieved to notice that there was no blood in it. _'Please be alive, Adam. I don't want to have to knock Rocky out if we find your dead body that just hasn't started to smell yet.'_

The last door they came to was the bedroom. Here again, Jason hesitated. _'What am I going to find when I open this door? Is he dead? Or is he alive and just passed out? God, please let him be alive! Besides Rocky, I don't want to be the one to have to tell Tom that Adam's gone.'_ He bowed his head and sent up a silent prayer while Rocky hovered by his side, anxious as well about what they would find on the other side of the door.

Stale puke was the first thing that hit Jason's nose, making him wrinkle it in distaste. The soft light of the setting sun gently lit the form that rested in a pair of boxers on the bed. No covers nestled over the pale body that looked to be motionless on the black sheets. There was a small pool of dried puke near Adam's face. From the doorway, Jason could not tell if his friend's chest rose and fell. His heart started sinking as he made his way shakily to the bed. Behind him, he could hear the small groan that escaped Rocky as he took in the sight in front of him.

"Oh Adam." The former Red Ape made his way forward slowly, hesitatingly... afraid of what he'd find or that Jason would confirm. His best friend looked so small curled up in the middle of the queen-sized bed and the dark sheets did nothing but accent the paleness of his nearly naked form.

"Jase.. is he--" Rocky couldn't bring himself to finish the question as he watched the paramedic take a seat on the bed next to their friend.

_'Adam you'd better be alive.'_ With a shaking hand, Jason reached out to feel for Adam's pulse. The first thing he realized was that his friend was cool to the touch. He swallowed hard. _'Please just be cold from not being covered up... not because you're dead.'_ It took him a few moments to finally find the throbbing vein that told him life still flowed through the former Black Ranger's body. A closer look at the other man's chest showed the slight rise and fall. Letting go of the breath he'd been holding, Jason looked over at Rocky. "He's alive. Do me a favor Rocky. Start some water in the tub, make it warm but not hot, and grab my jump kit. I left it by the door. I'm going to try and wake him up."

Rocky nodded, tears of relief coming to his eyes. "Yeah, no problem Jase." He made his way to the bathroom, taking deep, shuddering breaths as he did. '_He's alive. For a few minutes, I really thought he was dead_.' As he started the water and put the stopper in place, the former Red Ranger sent up a silent thank you to God that his friend still lived. Once the water was going, he went to get Jason's bag.

After Rocky had left, Jason gently opened Adam's mouth and made sure his airway was clear before rolling him onto his back. The other man offered no resistance nor did he show any signs of waking at the movement. He pulled the penlight out of his shirt pocket, a habit that carried over from his shifts, and used it to check Adam's pupils. '_A little sluggish, but if he's as drunk as he smells, that's to be expected_.' Carefully, he began to check his friend over, feeling for anything broken or out of place that might have resulted from his stumbling around or violent outbursts.

Coming to the Frog's right hand, the paramedic found several small cuts and a few bruises, but there was no shifting of bone beneath his skilled fingers. Moving down, he found the fading bruise below his ribs. '_Probably from sparring with Tommy last weekend. I'll ask him about it though, just in case_.' A slight push on both sides of his pelvis resulted in nothing, which was another good sign. As he continued working his way downward, he winced at the still deep purple bruise on the man's right thigh. _'Damn, between Tommy and Rocky, that definitely went to the bone. Going to bother him for a few more days, especially after not really using it for almost a week.'_ When he was finished, Jason sat up with a sigh as Rocky came back into the room.

"Here you go, Jase." He set the bag down at the first Red Ranger's feet. "He okay?"

"Well, I found a few new bruises on his right hand, which is the one I think he put through the wall. Other than that, he seems to be okay. Check the water for me and lay out some towels." Jason knew that he had to keep Rocky busy for a few minutes. When he had left again, Jase pulled his blood pressure cuff and stethoscope out of the bag. With practiced ease, he began getting vitals on his friend. _'What the hell brought this on Adam? Why didn't __you call someone? 90/56... if you weren't an athlete, I'd be worried with numbers like that.'_

Removing the cuff and putting it away, he turned his attention to listening to the heart and lungs of the still form beneath him. _'Lungs are clear. Means he didn't aspirate any of that crap he was puking back into his lungs. Of course, if he had, then we'd be calling people and letting them know--'_ He shook his head, breaking out of that line of thought. Sighing softly, he jotted down the pulse and respiration as well, then put a hand in the middle of Adam's chest. _'Now, time to see if you go to the hospital or I treat you here.' _

With a little force, Jason shook his former teammate. "Adam. Come on, man. I need you to wake up." Getting nothing in return, he shook him a bit harder. Still nothing. '_All right. Then let's see how you feel about knuckles in your chest_.' Making a fist, Jason applied a bit of force to his knuckles as he gave Adam a sternal rub. "Adam! Wake up man."

Adam groaned softly and tried to swat at the thing in the middle of his chest. He lacked the energy, however, to raise his hands that far. Instead, he settled on opening his eyes. Slowly, feeling like they were weighed down, he managed to get his lids up and a blurry face greeted him. It took several moments for him to be able to focus and when he finally recognized who hovered above him, he groaned again. "Jase?"

Jason snorted. "Sure ain't your fairy godmother." He placed the bottle of water that Rocky had gotten without prompting at his friend's dry lips. "Small sips." Gently, he lifted Adam's head enough so that he could drink without choking.

After several small sips, Adam finally sighed and let Jason lower his head once again. "What are you doing here?"

Ignoring the question, Jason frowned as he started checking the back of Adam's head. "Adam, does your head hurt?" He had found a knot the size of a baseball near the base of the other man's skull.

Wincing at the pressure on the spot, Adam groaned softly. "Yeah, more now that you're pressing on that spot."

"Do you remember if you hit your head or anything?"

"Think I hit it on the coffee table. Went to stand up and slipped on something. Remember falling back, then waking up on the floor. Came to the bedroom after that."

"Well, you're not going back to sleep for a bit. You also won't be alone for the next couple of days." He was tempted to take Adam back to his place. It would be easier to keep an eye on him there and the change of scenery might do the other man some good.

Adam started to say something but started coughing instead, then leaned to the side and threw up the water he'd just drank.

Shaking his head, Jason held him up until he was done, then looked over at Rocky. "I'm going to get him cleaned up. Mind stripping the bed for him and putting some new sheets on?"

"Yeah, I've got it. I'm going to open a few windows as well, try to get rid of the smell a bit. Once I'm done in here, I'll go ahead and start on the living room."

"Thanks Rocky." Jason made sure that Adam was finished heaving, then picked him up. '_He's lost a few pounds. Definitely wasn't eating while he was drinking_.' "Just relax and let me do the work Adam."

"Don't think I have the energy right now to argue about it." He rested his head against Jason's shoulder.

Moving carefully, Jason got him out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, then placed him in the tub, boxers and all. After setting him down, Jason rolled a towel up and put it behind Adam's neck, helping to hold his head off of the edge of the tub. "All right, let's get you cleaned up. Then we need to talk, buddy."

"Figured you were going to say that."

"Considering you scared the hell out of Rocky and me, plus Tommy's worried as well... least you're alive to talk about it." Carefully, he started washing Adam off. He left the boxers in place until he had the rest of the man clean, then handed him the soapy cloth. "I'm going to take your boxers off and go grab you some clean ones along with a pair of pants and shirt. When I get back, we'll take care of your hair. Think you can manage this?"

"Yeah, thanks Jase." He'd been embarrassed at first to have the Original Red Ranger washing him but he slowly relaxed, letting the warm water and Jason's careful hands warm his chilled frame. Lifting his hips, he let Jason remove the soaked boxers and started washing the last areas left as the other man left the small bathroom.

Going into the bedroom, Jason nodded in approval. Rocky had already changed the sheets and opened the window. He even had a couple of incense sticks lit that were helping to get rid of the smell. Making his way to the dresser, Jase pulled out a clean pair of boxers, sleep pants, and a t-shirt. He added a pair of socks as well, wanting to keep the former Black Ranger warm.

He decided to let Adam have a few moments to himself and went out to the living room to see how his other friend was doing. "You okay, Rocky?"

Rocky sighed as he threw the last of the bottles into the trash. "I've been better. I'm glad that he's alive, but...what the hell, Jase? What happened to send him into such a spiral? He looked happy last week after he got back from Tommy's and then this." He shook his head before shrugging. "I don't know."

Walking over to his successor, Jason put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get him through this. I'm thinking about taking him back to my place for a couple of days. I'm off until Thursday morning and then I work a 24hr shift and am off the next two days after that. If you take the dojo for tomorrow, I'll pick it up on Wednesday and you can sit with him for a while, deal?"

"Deal." He looked around the small apartment. "It might take that long for the smell to really leave this place."

"Yeah, know what you mean. I'm going to go help him finish up in the bath and then I'm going to bring him out here so we can talk. Think you can make some coffee? We might need it."

"No problem." Rocky paused for a moment. "Thanks for doing this, Jase."

"It's nothing, Rocky. You're both my friends. I'm just helping out a friend." He gave the other man's shoulder a squeeze, then headed back to the bathroom. Putting the clothes on the counter, he took a seat on the closed lid of the toilet.

"Think you can dunk your head under the water? I'll hold you under your shoulders if you need it."

Adam nodded. "Yeah, think I can manage that." Together, they managed to get his hair washed. Letting the water start draining out of the tub, Jason helped him to his feet and handed him a towel. Once he had dried himself off, he let Jason help him get dressed then leaned against the other man as they made their way out to the living room.

Jason guided Adam to the couch and helped him settle back on it. Kneeling down and looking him in the face, the paramedic asked, "Is there anything we can get you? You need to get something on your stomach."

Adam sighed softly. "Something light. Think I have some Sprite in there."

Rocky went to get it and Jason asked him to also grab some crackers for Adam to munch on. Once he brought the items from the kitchen, they waited for their friend to take a sip of the drink to wet his dry throat. Jason spoke first. "Bro...I guess the most obvious question is: Why? What happened to cause this?"

Adam took another drink, trying to get his thoughts together, then sighed again. "Rocky, there's some papers on the table, mind grabbing them? You can look them over before you give them to Jason."

Rocky already knew what he was talking about. While cleaning the living room and kitchen, he had noticed them laying there and took a quick look. He went and retrieved them before handing them to Jason. "It's his final divorce decree," he said quietly.

Jason took the papers from Rocky and looked them over quickly. All he could do was shake his head. "When did you get these, bro?"

"Monday night when I got home from the dojo." He took another sip, then closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, they were filled with tears, threatening to fall. "It'd been a good day, you know? Spending the weekend with Tommy helped me relax and forget about things for a while. Well, except him and how he was doing... but the rest of the stuff just kind of faded, you know? The classes Monday night, except for Jerkoff #1, were even pretty good. Tommy called me once I was home to make sure I was okay." He sighed. "Then Xander called."

"Xander? Who's Xan--...oh yeah, the Mystic Force Ranger that was on the mission with you. What did he want?" Rocky asked.

"To tell me he's having a kid. He'd just gotten engaged to Madison shortly before the mission. All I see are happy couples... families... people we went to school with having babies with people they love." He raised watery eyes to his friends. "Why can't I have that? Why can't someone love me enough to want to stay with me? I did everything that bitch wanted me to...everything...I worked for her dad instead of opening a dojo...we moved to Boston so she could be closer to her family...all so she could be happy...and I was happy...least I thought I was...then she fucks around on me behind my back and tries to lie about it? What did I ever do to her to make her do that to me?"

Jason reached over and put a hand on Adam's leg. "Nothin' man, you didn't do anything. It was all her. Even in college she was all about herself, I remember that. You did nothing wrong, Adam."

Rocky knelt beside his best friend. "You were too good for her anyway. I always thought that. You deserve better and you'll find it--just give yourself time," he said, rubbing Adam's arm.

"But I did everything for her. I even turned down a chance at getting my Master's for her so that we could move back to Boston." He started crying. "At least we didn't have any kids. I know that bitch and her parents would have used everything they have at their disposal to keep them from me." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Why can everyone else find someone that loves them and I can't?" He turned to Jason. "Tommy loves you and you love him. Even though you're not together, you still love each other. I'd even take something like that instead of not having anything."

Jason's eyes widened a bit at that. It was true, but it was still a sore spot. "Bro...I wish I could have something more permanent with Tommy, but all that's complicated. The important thing is that from now on, you do things for yourself. Stop trying to make everyone else happy and do what you want. Opening the dojo is a great start."

Rocky spoke up when Jason had finished. "Do you think that Brooke's parents had it in for you? Something you said makes me wonder."

He shrugged. "Her dad never really liked me. When we got there, he pretty much told me that I would be working for him and that I started on the next Monday. I wore a suit and tie everyday and hated going in to work." He eyed them both. "I've never hated going to work before, ever. Even doing the stunt show, it was hard, but I enjoyed it. And teaching at the Youth Center was more fun than an actual job. Hell, the only good thing that came out of it was that I made enough that I could put some away, even with what she spent."

"You should've stood up to the man, Adam. He had no right to do you that way," Rocky exclaimed.

"He was just trying to keep Brooke happy, weren't you?" Jason asked.

Adam took another drink, his hand shaking slightly. "Mostly. Part of it was me trying to prove to her dad that I wasn't just another useless Asian trying to pervert his daughter."

"Oh come on...don't tell me the man is a bigot as well as a pompous ass!" Jason replied.

"He was drunk one night shortly after we got to Boston. Said that he never should have _allowed_ his little girl to marry a pathetic slant-eye like me. That the only reason I was with her was for the money."

Both Rocky and Jason felt their blood pressures rise. How could anyone treat their friend like that? "That's fucked up man, you know that, right?" Rocky asked. "You're one of the finest people I've ever known and .... that sonofabitch, I...." Rocky couldn't even continue his thought--he was seeing red. He clenched his fists and paced back and forth.

"Rocky's right, Adam. You shouldn't have to put up with that." He leaned over and pulled the young man into a tight hug. "Things are gonna get better for you, bro--I just know it. Hang in there. You'll be happier than you ever could have been with her and her fucked up family."

He finally released his control on the tears that had been falling only lightly. "God Jason, I just want to feel wanted again... like someone gives a shit about me and cares about me for _me_... not for what I do or have... but for _me_." He broke down then into harsh sobs, clutching tightly onto the Original Red Ranger.

Jason held him tight, rubbing his back while he cried. "Let it out man, just let it all out. You'll feel better." He looked up at Rocky and shook his head slightly. Adam's breakdown just made the second Red Ranger angrier. He looked like he could chew nails and spit out screws.

He turned back to Adam. "Bro, I know that this might not be much consolation, but you have lots of friends that love you dearly. Me, Rocky and Tommy for starters. We've always been here for you and we always will be."

"I know, but you guys are friends... and I love you for that... but I want that 'one', you know? That's all I've ever really wanted besides a good job and a roof over my head... kids would be a good bonus, but not a necessity." He sighed. "She's going back to her maiden name. Like we were never married. Hell man, she was the first person that I gave everything to."

"That's what we all want, Adam," Rocky said. "I know how you feel about that--I'd love to find 'the one' also, but...I guess we just have to be patient."

"I agree with Rocky--that's something that all of us want. And I know she was special to you man, but...it just wasn't meant to be, I guess. I really do think that you'll find that 'one' that you're looking for--and probably when and where you least expect it," Jason added.

Adam sighed, then took a couple of deep breaths. He was emotionally and physically spent. Plus, now his head was starting to hurt. He coughed a couple times and was starting to sit up from where he rested against Jason when the room spun and he put his head back down before swallowing hard. "Think I'm going to be sick."

"Hold on," Jason said and looked at Rocky who was already standing nearby. "Get him to the bathroom," he said, helping to get Adam to a standing position. Rocky did as he asked, taking his best friend by the arm and side and hurrying him out of the room. Just then, Jason remembered someone..."Oh my God, I never called Tom back!" he exclaimed and pulled out his cell phone to dial the number.

Adam hit his knees as soon as Rocky helped him to the toilet and proceeded to get rid of everything he'd taken in. Then he dry heaved for several minutes before breaking out in a cold sweat as he rested his head on his arm. "Fuck me."

Tommy answered before the second ring. "You'd better be calling to tell me that you've found him and he's okay."

Jason sighed. "He's pretty much okay--just terribly hungover and upset. Seems he got his final divorce decree in the mail and didn't tell anyone. That bitch really fucked him over, Tommy." He paused for a moment. "But he'll be okay physically...emotionally, I don't know. I think it's gonna take a while."

"Should have known that things were worse than what he was telling me." Tommy took a seat. "Every time we talked about it, he would tense up. Yeah, he opened up a little, but not a lot. He still held a lot of stuff back." He sighed, running a hand through his short hair.

"He's opening up and talking about it more now, so maybe that'll help. I just hope he doesn't clam up on us again. Before now, you're the only one he's really talked to about it. Maybe if we can keep him talking, he'll come to grips with it sooner. Too bad you're up in Reefside."

"Yeah, I wish I could get down there, but the soonest would be this weekend. If finals weren't approaching, I might be willing to ask for a sub."

"This weekend is perfect. His birthday is Saturday and we're planning a surprise for him. You can come down and stay with me. I'm gonna have him come home with me tonight and stay at least until after the weekend."

Tommy frowned for a moment. "He's really bad off, isn't he? If you're taking him home that means you don't want him to be by himself. What aren't you telling me Jason Lee?"

"I'm not keeping anything from you, Tom. I'm just worried about him. He's been holed up in this apartment since Tuesday night drinking and trashing the place. He hasn't eaten much at all and he's pretty sick right now. I just don't think he should be alone, that's all. I wouldn't lie to you, bro."

"He trashed his place?! That's not like Adam at all." He shook his head. "Kyle's been pretty good lately so I'll give him a reprieve and let him grade the tests for me this weekend. That'll allow me to leave after school on Friday. You sure you've got enough space for both of us?"

"Yeah, I've got plenty of space. You can sleep with me and Adam can have the guest bed," he suggested. "And yeah, he tore this place up. Punched holes in the wall with his fists, broke just about everything in the living room that was breakable and threw everything else in the floor. It was a mess. Liquor bottles and beer cans everywhere, not to mention the smell of sour food and vomit. Just nasty."

"That really doesn't sound like Adam. Yeah, I'll definitely be down this weekend. Friday's supposed to be an assembly day with it being held in the afternoon as a pep rally of sorts. I might see if Randall will let me go early." He was quiet for a moment. Just thinking about sleeping in Jason's arms again was giving him other thoughts that he shouldn't be having considering what they were talking about. He groaned softly. "I'll be happy to share a bed with you as long as you put another cover on the bed, blanket hog."

Jason smiled warmly. "Now I'm really looking forward to this weekend," he said, having his own ideas. "And yes, I'll put more blankets on the bed, just for you. Call me and let me know what time you'll be here so that we can make some plans, okay? As soon as I know something more about the party, I'll let you know."

"Call me tomorrow around lunch time. Kyle's leaving early so I'll be alone. We can talk more then and if Adam's around maybe I can talk to him as well. And I'll definitely call you to let you know for sure so we can make plans. Then, if you don't hear from me by 3pm on Friday, call. That way I can tell you if I'm on my way yet or not." He was definitely going down there this weekend. Even if it meant letting Kyle off of 'restriction' a little early.

"Okay, sounds like a plan. I'll try to have Adam back to human by then," he said with a small chuckle. "Take care of yourself for me, okay? I miss you."

"I'll take care of myself. You and Rocky take care of Adam." He was quiet for a moment. "I miss you too, Jase. I'll see you Friday, I promise."

"We'll take care of Froggy, don't worry. Talk to you tomorrow," he replied and, after their goodbyes had been said, closed his phone and went to find out how the 'patient' was. He found him and Rocky in the bedroom, sitting on the bed.

Rocky got up as Jason came in the room. "He was pretty much wiped out when he got done throwing up. Mainly dry heaved for almost five minutes. Brought him in here to lay down when he was through."

"How are you feeling now, bro?" Jason asked, taking a seat beside him on the bed.

"Really tired and my head is hurting." He shifted a bit, trying to get comfortable. "Kinda sore all over."

"Well, don't get too comfortable just yet--I'm taking you home with me, okay? You don't need to be alone right now," Jason said. He stood up and went over to his friend's dresser and started pulling out clothes. "Rocky, find me a duffle bag."

Rocky went over to the closet and pulled a duffle bag out. "I'll get this Jase. You might want to keep him awake. He was trying to go to sleep on me and I know you said he had to stay awake for a bit. He also wouldn't drink anything else for me."

Jason handed the clothes to Rocky and went back over to Adam. "Don't go to sleep on me yet, okay? We're gonna get you over to my place and then you can go to sleep. Will you try to drink something for me?"

Adam sighed. "I'll just throw it up again and I'd rather not. Really just want to sleep, Jase."

"Okay, I understand that. I'm gonna start an IV on you then because I know you're dehydrated," he replied and pulled the necessary things from his bag.

Wearily, he held his arm out. He wasn't going to fight the burly paramedic about it. "So any chance I can convince you to just stay here?" He knew that it wasn't likely, but he was still going to give it a shot.

Jason chuckled softly. "Man, there ain't enough of this place left for us to stay in. No, you'll come home with me for a little while. When you're ready to come home, we'll come over here and help you put your apartment back together again, deal?" He inserted the IV and started it dripping, securing everything with tape.

"I really messed it up that bad, huh?" He winced slightly as his friend put the IV needle in, but held still. He remembered doing a few things, like throwing things to the floor, but not much else. He held his right hand up, flexing it slightly. "I don't remember getting these."

"On the way out, we'll show you how you managed to mess your hand up like that," Rocky chimed in, still putting Adam's things into the bag. "And yes, you really messed it up that bad."

"Speaking of your hand," Jason said, gently taking hold of it. "I need to clean it and then I want to wrap it. It's a little swollen, but I didn't feel anything broken. If it's still like this in a couple of days, we'll get it X-rayed. Considering you own a dojo, I don't think you'd get too many questions about punching something wrong." He set the hand on Adam's stomach while he got the stuff he'd need from his bag, then held it while he carefully cleaned the cuts.

Adam winced a few times while Jason was applying the antiseptic. "Have you called Tommy in the last few days?" he asked out of the blue.

"Actually, I just got off the phone with him a few minutes ago. We called him earlier to see if he'd heard from you. Then promised to call him once we'd found out how you were doing. We'll call him tomorrow from my place during his lunch hour. He said that Kyle was leaving early and he'd have the time." He applied some antibiotic ointment to the area and covered it with a non-stick pad before taping it in place. Then he started wrapping it with an elastic bandage.

"Oh...the reason I ask is because...well, did he say anything about me calling him? While I was drunk?"

Jason frowned at him. "No, he didn't. I know that he said he tried calling you a couple of times and you didn't answer. Why? Do you think you called him?"

"Well, I know that I thought about it a lot but...I can't remember whether I actually did it or not. I hope I didn't. That's the last thing he needs."

"Adam, if you had needed to talk to him, he would have been glad you called. Granted, he might have called Rocky or me to come over and make sure you were all right after you got done talking to him, but he would have listened to you no matter what." He placed a gentle hand on Adam's side above the bruise he knew rested there. "Speaking of Tommy, did he give you this bruise? I know it looks like it's fading, but I want to make sure it's not something that happened that you don't remember."

"Yeah, that one's from him too," Adam replied.

Rocky chuckled. "You were just a punching bag for him, weren't you? I think I'm gonna have to take him on the next time he's around." Rocky thought that maybe he could get Adam's mind off of the things that had been bothering him.

"Just making sure. It's below your ribs, but just above your kidneys." He raised an eyebrow at Rocky's words. "Bro, I'm not treating any 'war wounds' you get from going up against T. Bad enough Adam here looked like he tried to take on a tank when he got back last week. I'd hate to see what your wimp ass would look like when he got done with you." He cracked a grin at Adam and winked.

Adam couldn't help but grin a little. Picking on Rocky was a favorite past time and it felt good to be doing it again. Rocky was a good sport about it and could actually hold his own in any fight, but he would be very unevenly matched if he actually tried to take Tommy on.

"Yeah well...we'll see," Rocky said in his own defense.

Jason chuckled softly, then looked over at Rocky. "You got everything he'll need, which will include a pair of shoes?"

"Yeah, I got everything--clothes, underwear, shoes, toothbrush, etc.--he's all set."

"Good." He turned back to Adam. "Are you warm enough with just a t-shirt or do you want a hoodie?"

"A hoodie would be nice--I'm feelin' kinda cold," Adam said quietly and shivered a bit to punctuate his statement.

Jason nodded and grabbed one out of the closet, then helped him sit up. "Let's get the IV bag through first." Once he had it through the armhole and sleeve he handed it to Rocky. "Hang on to this a minute. Once I help him with the hoodie, I'm going to pick him up. Then I want you to put the bag between us by his shoulder."

"Gotcha," Rocky said and did as his friend asked.

"Jase, I might be able to walk--you don't have to carry me," Adam protested in a weak voice.

Jason shook his head as he helped Adam the rest of the way into the hoodie. "No chance, buddy. You're dehydrated and you've got a headache, probably a mild concussion. You haven't had any solid food for I'm guessing several days. I'm not going to take the chance of you passing out on us heading for the car. Just relax, okay?" He handed his keys to Rocky, then carefully picked the younger man up. "All right Rocko, give me the IV bag and let's go."

The second Red Ranger took the keys, grabbed the duffle with Adam's things and Jase's jump kit and headed toward the front door. He made a quick check around the tiny apartment to make sure that nothing had been left on and opened the front door for Jason and Adam who were coming up behind him. Just as they were getting outside, Adam's neighbor opened her door and stuck her head out. Seeing Adam being carried like that with an IV connected immediately caused a frown of worry to cross her face. "Oh my gosh! Is he okay? What happened?"

Jason nodded. "He'll be okay. Just has the flu or something and is a bit dehydrated. He knocked a few things over in his haste to get to the bathroom a few times, so that's probably the crashing you heard. I'm taking him to my place for a couple of days, but he'll be okay."

Rocky cleared his throat and had to turn away for a minute. The ease with which Jason made up that very believable lie was making him giggle.

"Oh thank goodness." She reached over and patted Adam's shoulder. "I was getting worried about you, Honey."

Adam blushed softly. "I'm sorry if I worried you, but thanks for calling Mr. Landers. I'd hate to have to buy a new door because Trouble 1 and Trouble 2 decided to bust it down due to the fact that I was finally sleeping when I had the flu." It only made things more convincing with his voice being slightly scratchy from all the throwing up he'd done.

"Oh, you're welcome. You get well, okay?" She turned to Jason. "Take good care of him, all right?" She had become quite fond of her young neighbor who had helped her with odd jobs on several occasions.

"I will, you have my word on that. You have a good evening." He eased past her with Adam in his arms and down to his SUV, then waited for Rocky to open the door. "Had to start getting a case of the giggles, didn't you Rocko?"

He started giggling again. "I'm sorry man, but...you can just lie like a rug, can'tcha? Just rolls off your tongue. I don't know if I can believe anything you say anymore," Rocky said while putting the things he was carrying into the truck.

Jason settled Adam into the back. "You warm enough? I've got a blanket in the back if you're not." He used his jump kit that Rocky had brought out from the apartment as a pillow for his friend and hung the IV from a spot in the roof handle that was meant for clothes.

Adam shivered again--he knew he must be deathly pale. "I'm still cold, Jase," he said with more than a little worry evident in his voice. He looked up at his good friend wanting some kind of reassurance.

Grabbing the blanket, he tucked it around his shivering friend. "Part of it's because you're dehydrated. The IV is also a little cold. When we get back to my place, I'll wrap it in some hot packs to warm it and I want you to try some tea before I let you sleep." He pulled the hood up on Adam's hoodie. Looking over at Rocky, he nodded at him. "Sit back here with him. Share some body heat with him. I know a couple shortcuts to get us back to my place a little faster."

"Will do, boss," the former Blue Zeo Ranger said and climbed into the backseat with his best friend. While rubbing his arm he added, "You'll be fine, bro. Jase's got it all under control." His warm smile helped to reassure Adam just a bit and he settled down for the ride to the paramedic's apartment.

Jason managed to get them to his place in less than ten minutes. After parking, he climbed out and went around to the back. Handing Rocky his keys again, he nodded at him. "The silver one with the red band opens the door. I'll take my kit and Adam if you grab the rest of the stuff."

They were able to get their 'patient' into the apartment and settled pretty quickly. Rocky put the clothes they'd brought for Adam into the guest room and went to see if there was anything more he could do to help.

Jason was originally going to put Adam in the guest room for the night, but decided against it. Instead, he took the former Black Ranger into his own room and settled him in the king-sized bed. Setting his jump kit down, he looked at Adam. "How are you feeling?"

Groaning and stretching a bit, he replied, "About the same...a little warmer maybe, but my head still hurts...and my stomach." He then curled up into more of a fetal position and moaned again.

"Adam, I need you to lay back for me, okay? Tell me if anywhere I press hurts." He was hoping the man's stomach was just sore from throwing up and not eating, but if it was appendicitis or anything else, they'd be going to the hospital. He made Adam lay back and moved his hands out of the way. Pulling his shirts up, he carefully started feeling his way across the other man's stomach. He moaned a little from time to time, but there was no sharp pain or rebound guarding.

Rocky stood by and watched, but then had to ask, "Jase, you don't think it's anything serious do you?"

Jason sighed, before talking to Adam, answering Rocky at the same time. "Well, it's not your appendix, which is what I was afraid of. I'll grab the heating pad for you and while you're awake, keep it on your stomach. You're muscles are pretty tight and I'm guessing it's from you puking and not having anything in your system." He replaced his friend's shirts and pulled the blankets up a bit. "Speaking of, I want you to try some dry toast and tea for me. I've got something I can give you to help with the nausea, but we need to try and get something into your stomach, okay?"

Adam quietly nodded and looked up at them both. "I'm sorry about this, guys. I never meant to cause so much trouble."

Giving his shoulder a squeeze, Jason shook his head. "You're a friend Adam and you need our help right now. You'd do the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot." He quickly activated 2 hot packs and wrapped them around the IV bag that was half gone. "You relax for a bit. I'm going to make you some tea." He stood up and looked at Rocky. "No wrestling Ape Man." Walking out of the room, he sighed softly. '_He's alive and we can help him. Just wish we'd realized how bad the bitch had really worked him over_.' Once in his kitchen, he turned on his tap to hot and filled the kettle. After that was going, he filled a pan with hot water from the tap and put the new IV bag in it, letting the water warm the fluid inside. Quietly, he set about getting things done to help his friend.

Rocky rolled his eyes as Jason left. "I promise, no wrestling." He walked over to the bed and sat down beside his best friend. "Still cold?"

"Yeah, but not as bad." He paused and then got a strange look on his face. "Rocky...what day is it?"

He was quiet for a moment, then looked at his friend. "It's Monday, Adam. No one's heard from you since Thursday when you called me."

"Mon--...you're kidding me. I thought...thought it was probably Saturday."

Rocky shook his head. "That's why we were pretty much freakin' out, bro," he said as he patted Adam's leg. "We were afraid that...well, never mind." He lowered his gaze and sighed.

Adam frowned. "No, Rocky. Tell me. You were afraid that what?"

The second Red Ranger couldn't look him in the face. "Well...we were afraid that something awful had happened to you. I guess Jase and I just assumed that you'd called the other. When we realized that _no one_ had heard from you since Thursday, we got over to your place as fast as we could." He paused and drew a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "It's just not like you to drop off the radar like that. We were afraid that we'd find you dead, man."

He sighed. "I honestly didn't realize that much time had passed, Rocky. After calling you on Thursday, everything else is just a blur. Mostly it's filled with drinking, passing out, waking up and drinking some more. Think yesterday is the first time that I actually puked, but I went right back to drinking." He looked up at his friend. "It was the only thing that let me not think... every time I started thinking about her, I guess I broke something or punched the wall." Reaching out, he took hold of his friend's hand. "But I wasn't trying to kill myself."

Rocky looked him in the eyes. "I know that. I could never believe that you would do something like that. We just didn't know what had happened to you. Your apartment looked like a war zone when we finally got in there--I thought Goldar had come back and carried you off or something."

"If something like that had happened, you know that one of Tommy's connections would have said something. There's always someone watching, Rocky. You know that as well as I do." He sighed. "I'm sorry I scared you guys like that. I just wanted to forget about that bitch."

"You definitely need to get her out of your system--she's gonna cause you nothing but pain. Like Jase told you, when you least expect it, you'll find someone special. Just hang in there." He stopped and looked toward the door. "Speaking of our favorite paramedic...where did he get off to?"

Jason snorted as he came into the room with a tray. "Getting our friend something to put in his stomach." He set the tray on the nightstand and checked the IV bag. Seeing that it was almost done, he went ahead and changed it. "I warmed the fluid up in this one, so it should help you warm up a bit." He looked down at Adam. "Think you can try some tea and toast for me now?"

The 'patient' looked at the food warily. "Ummm, I'll try but you might want to have a trash can handy."

"I've got something I'm going to give you for the nausea. So we'll try a bit of the tea first while that takes effect." He moved to his kit and filled a syringe with the contents of one of the vials he kept there. Grabbing an alcohol pad, he went back over to Adam. "This might sting a bit when it first goes in, but that'll pass. Should only take a few minutes to kick in." He wiped the port down and injected the med into Adam's IV line. Once he was done with that, he plugged in the heating pad and turned it to 'low' before settling it over his friend's stomach on top of the sheet then resettled the covers.

When Adam felt the medicine hit his veins, he hissed. "Mmmm...that does sting, damn. But if it'll help..." he trailed off. "I was just apologizing to Rocky here. I need to say 'sorry' to you too," he said looking up into Jason's face.

Jason shook his head. "No, you don't. You being alive is the best apology there is." He shooed Rocky over a bit and sat beside his friend. "Adam, you're my friend and you were a teammate. You had my back in a lot of fights and you've been there as a friend as well. Did you scare the hell out of me? Yes, you did, but I know what it's like to feel like the world is against you. I went through hell after losing the Gold powers... physically, emotionally... it was hard. Emily was great at first, but she didn't understand. That's why we broke up and that just added another level to my misery. Tommy helped me out of that... just like I helped him deal with some of the crap from his Evil Green days. Now, I'm just repaying you for some of what you did when we were Rangers."

Adam nodded and sipped on the tea. "I guess in the world of rangers, it all evens out eventually, huh?" he grinned and took another small sip.

Jason grinned. "Eventually." He picked up a piece of the toast and handed it to him. "Try a couple of bites, see how it settles."

Doing as he was instructed, the former Green Zeo Ranger ate some of the toast and drank most of the tea. Everything seemed to settle okay and he began to feel a tad bit better. He couldn't stifle the yawns though, as his body was telling him that it was time to get some rest. "Can I sleep now, please?"

"Finish that bit of toast and I'll let you sleep." Jason looked over at Rocky. "You're welcome to crash here tonight. I'm going to keep Adam in here with me, but you can use the guest bedroom."

"That'll work. I'd be too worried at home by myself. Promise you'll come get me if you need any help, okay?" Rocky replied.

"I promise. Think you even left some clothes over here from when your place was being fumigated, so you can take a shower if you want. Kitchen's open to you if you're hungry."

"I'm always hungry and I missed dinner, so yeah...you can find me in the kitchen!" Rocky announced with a grin. "Get some rest bro and call if you need anything, alright?"

Adam nodded and watched Rocky go. "Um, Jase... the couch is fine... I mean..." He blushed.

"No sir, you're not sleeping on the couch. I want to stay close in case you need anything." He looked at Adam and grinned. "The bed's plenty big enough for two, Froggy."

Finishing the toast, he took another drink of the tea before setting it aside. "Guess there's no way I'm going to win this argument, is there?" He yawned again and felt his eyes growing heavy. "The stuff you gave me... makes you sleepy too, doesn't it?"

"No, you're not winning this argument and yes, it does make you sleepy. Now get some rest and let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay." He closed his eyes, letting his own exhaustion and the meds take over. He never felt Jason get up and settle him more under the covers nor did he hear the other man leave the room.

Rocky looked up from the eggs he was making as Jason came into the kitchen. "He asleep?"

"Yeah, he's asleep. Should stay that way for a while." Jason yawned and took a seat at the counter, watching Rocky cook.

"In all the years that I've known him, I've never seen him like this, Jase." He scrambled the eggs a bit more, then flipped the ham slices in the pan next to it. When Rocky was worried, he cooked. Jason sparred or beat the hell out of a bag... Adam usually meditated or paced... he cooked. Checking on the toast, he buttered it as it popped up and put it on the stack. "I'm making you some too, so don't think about falling asleep yet mister."

"No, my stomach's growling--I fully intend to eat before I lay down." He stopped and took a drink of the Gatorade that Rocky had put in front of him. "He's just going through a bad time right now, Rocky--he'll recover. He's strong in body and mind, so don't worry. Maybe he's blown off all the steam that he needed to and he'll start getting over what that bitch did to him now."

"Still can't believe some of the stuff he told us." He finished the eggs and divided them between two plates and added a couple of ham slices to them. He put one down in front of Jason and the other beside him. Grabbing his own drink, he took it and the plate of toast to the other side of the counter and sat down. He said a quick blessing and then took a couple bites. "Think we should still have the party this weekend?"

"Thanks," Jason said when Rocky gave him the food. "As far as the party goes...I don't know right now. I think that it would be good for him if he's feeling up to it, but I guess we'll have to wait and see how he is over the next couple of days."

"Yeah, he does kinda look like death warmed over right now." They ate in silence for a few minutes. "Think if we do have it that Tommy will come down for it? If Adam talked to him once about her, he might again."

"Oh yeah, Tom's comin'--I called him earlier while we were still at Adam's place. I had to let him know that he was okay...well, alive anyway. I told him about the party and he said that he'd definitely be here for it."

"Maybe we should have it." He finished eating and took a long drink of Gatorade. "I mean, what better way to show Adam that he really does have people that care about him. He needs to know that his friends really are there if and when he needs them."

"I agree and I know it would be good for him to be surrounded by his friends, but we'll have to see how he's feeling. I'm almost sure he's got a mild concussion and his stomach won't be right for days. But if he's feeling better by say, Thursday, we'll go ahead as planned."

Rocky nodded. "You're going to keep him here until then, aren't you? And probably for a little bit after?" He really didn't want his best friend to be alone right now and he was half-tempted to just move Adam into his place, forget about the little apartment.

"Oh yeah, Frogboy is staying here at least until after the weekend. No way am I letting him go home to be alone. He'll be okay to do that eventually, but not right now."

"Good. And that place is definitely going to need a good cleaning before he can stay there again." He took their empty plates to the sink and rinsed them off before putting them in the dishwasher, then stretched. "Thanks again for doing this Jason."

"Hey, like I told Adam, no thanks are necessary. I'm glad I can help. Hopefully we'll be able to have the party and he'll be back to his old self by this time next week. Or at least on his way to it with a real start at healing after Brooke. Tommy coming down should help too. So, you ready to hit the hay?"

"I hope so. Hate seeing him so down." He tried to fight off a yawn, then grinned. "Oh yeah, sleep sounds good." He shut off the light in the kitchen. "Let me know if you need my help with anything Jase." He chuckled softly. "And so you know, he's a cover hog."

Jason laughed. "So am I, according to Tommy. Good night, Rocky--sleep well." Jason made sure that everything was locked up and then quietly made his way into his bedroom. Adam was still sleeping peacefully right where he'd left him thirty minutes earlier. He turned the heating pad off and set it on the floor. Pulling off his clothes and putting on a pair of sleep pants, he carefully climbed into the big king bed on the other side from his friend. "G'night Froggy--hope you sleep well," he whispered and then settled down to try and get some rest. It had been one hell of a day.


	5. Uncovering the Past

**Misery Loves Company**

**by**

**A Warrior's Prophet**

**Disclaimer:**We don't own Power Rangers or any characters that you might recognize. Kyle is based on a real person who has given us their permission to use his name and likeness.

**Chp 5 – Uncovering the Past**

Hovering just between awake and asleep, Adam unconsciously decided that he was cold. His feet were cold, his hands were cold...he was shivering all over. This involuntary shaking is what finally woke him up. At first he was a bit disoriented, realizing that he wasn't in his own bedroom. _'What the...where am I?'_ and then he looked over at the sleeping form beside him. _'Jase?'_ He paused and thought for a moment, and then it all came back to him. _'Oh yeah... me being brilliant and drinking for days on end. That's why I'm here.'_ He pulled the covers up to his chin and tried to get warm, but he seemed to be chilled to the bone. He could, however, feel a distinct warmth coming from the body next to him in the bed. _'Wonder if he'd mind...'_ Deciding that he was too cold and sick to be shy, he scooted over slightly and tried to snuggle up to his friend without waking him.

Jason reacted automatically and let his arm come down to rest on the body next to him and pulled it closer without really waking up. It was the slight shaking and coolness that finally woke him up. Frowning, he looked down at the figure next to him. "Adam? You okay?" He didn't move except to pull the shaking form closer. That was when he noticed the sweat that almost covered the other man.

"I-I'm c-cold, Jase," the former Black Ranger said while trying to burrow under his friend.

"Yeah, but you're also sweating." He leaned over the side of the bed and dug through his kit. He'd pulled it closer during the night in case it was needed. Finding the ear thermometer, he put a probe cover on it, and then turned towards his friend. "Going to take your temp, so just hold still a moment for me." Carefully, he placed the thermometer in Adam's ear and hit the start button then waited for it to beep. Getting the reading, he sighed softly. "Well, it's not too bad, but not great, 102 there Froggy."

"Great. Why would I have a fever from getting drunk?" he mumbled, continuing to shiver. He felt mildly nauseous and the shaking wasn't helping. He was miserable.

Jason couldn't help it as he chuckled softly and pulled the other man back into him, holding him close. "Because you forgot to take care of yourself when you were drinking." He sighed softly. "You weren't eating and only drinking alcohol. When you passed out yesterday, you were only in your boxers and on top of the covers. By the time we got there, you were already chilled. The not eating, drinking only beer and booze plus getting sick like you did a few times, it dehydrated you. I gave you 2 bags of fluid last night, but that's still not enough to get you anywhere close to normal. So this is your body's way of saying it doesn't like being neglected."

"Mmm...Yeah, I guess you're right. I was an idiot." He paused when he shivered hard. "Damn it...I'm freezing. You're like a furnace though-don't mind me curling up, do ya?"

"No, I don't mind. If I did, I wouldn't have brought you closer after getting your temp. We'll give it a few minutes and if you're still cold, you can go take a warm shower and I'll make you some tea. Need to start eating again, bro."

"Yeah," he said simply and nodded. As he snuggled up, Adam moved his hand slightly on the soft t-shirt that his friend wore. Finally, he slid his arm across Jason's stomach and held onto the man's waist.

Sighing softly, the paramedic rested his head on the shorter man's while he wrapped his arms around him. "Want to talk about it?"

Adam took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I feel like such a waste of space right now. I'm ashamed of myself and now I'm ashamed of putting my friends through a bad time because of me. I can't do anything right."

"Oh Adam," He let his hands gently rub up and down the other man's back. "You are far from a waste of space. Right now, you're just going through a bad time and don't know how to really handle it. Everything's hitting you at once and it's overwhelming you. So you freaked out a bit, got really depressed and tried to drown your problems with alcohol. Only thing with that is that they're still there when the alcohol is gone. You let yourself get into a cycle that's hard to break, but we're here to help you. That's what friends do."

"And I appreciate it, I really do. But I'm also disgusted with myself for the way I let things end with Brooke. I didn't put up a fight...I didn't beat the hell outta that bastard like I should have...I just walked off and let him have her. I put my tail between my legs and ran. Some man I am," Adam said wearily, still shivering slightly, but beginning to still.

Jason was quiet for a few minutes. "Maybe you were falling out of love with her and that's why you let her go so easily."

"Humph...or maybe I was just a coward."

Frowning down at him, Jason swatted him mildly on the ass. "Enough of that, Adam. There's a difference between being man enough to walk away when your heart is no longer in something and fighting for something that no longer holds your heart."

"So why don't you fight for Tommy?" he asked, knowing it was a touchy subject but also knowing that Jason wouldn't yell at a sick man.

"Because right now, my heart is torn between my family and the man that I love. Until I can make the choice to leave my family behind..." He shakes his head. "It'd be unfair to Tommy. Aside from that, we're not talking about me. We're talking about you." He leaned back a bit, then tilted Adam's chin up so that he could look into his eyes. "I know that Brooke hurt you and that her family was no picnic either, but I promise you, things will get better." He grinned. "Just think of the hoops the next person that tries to marry her is going to have to go through. Or if they'll even want her." He winked at him. "After all, if she drops the office boy, whoever's next will be getting smelly thirds and probably have a lot less talent than you do."

"I don't care what she does. I just hope I never have to look at her or talk to her ever again. I just wish I'd handled things differently. Thanks for listening to me...and taking care of me, Jase...you're a good friend."

"Adam, if you had handled things differently, gone over there and fought to get her back, what is likely to have happened? Huh? Aside from you getting thrown in jail, having charges brought against you that, aside from assault, were probably faked and having a crap lawyer?"

"Oh I didn't really want her back...I just think I should've busted the guy in the mouth for fuckin' my wife."

"Yeah, and I can imagine him going to her dad or even her and telling them what a monster you were. That you attacked him for no reason." Jason shook his head. "You'd have been in jail Adam. Besides, like you just said. You didn't want her back." He gave him a small grin. "Feeling any better?"

Adam paused and thought. "Yeah...I am. I really am," he smiled weakly. "Still feel like crap, but not as bad as I did."

"Yeah well, part of that crap feeling is your body telling you how unhappy it is you abused it in this way." He ran a hand through the short, dark locks. "And you're probably going to feel like crap, physically for a few days. So, don't plan on going anywhere for a bit."

He wanted to protest, but he knew that right now, he couldn't really take care of himself. "If you insist... thanks, man."

"No problem." Jason winked at him again, then ran a hand down Adam's back and stopped at his waist. "Why don't you go ahead and get a shower? You're bag's in the guest room, but if Rocky's still asleep you can use something of mine. While you're doing that, I'll make you some tea and oatmeal."

"Okay, but not too much-don't think my stomach can handle it," Adam replied, moving to disentangle himself from the other man.

"Just eat as much as you can and if you're feeling nauseous, I'll give you something for it, but you need the nutrients."

"I'll try my best. Towels in the bathroom?" he asked, moving toward the door.

"Yeah, they're on a shelf above the toilet." Getting up Jason slid a sweatshirt on then went down the hall to the guestroom. Opening the door, he spotted Adam's bag just off to the side and grabbed it. Stopping outside the bathroom, he knocked on the door. "Adam? Your bag's just outside the door."

"Thanks," he called through the door. Starting the water, Adam sat on the edge of the tub until it reached the temperature he preferred. "Maybe this'll warm me up," he mumbled to himself, standing to pull off his clothes.

Going into the kitchen, Jason filled the kettle and then started it to boiling. He'd use the hot water for both the tea and the oatmeal. While the water started warming up, he started getting the rest of the stuff he'd need.

The warm water was making Adam feel a little better...warmer at least. He washed quickly and then let the heat soak into his body. His bruises still smarted and were plenty ugly, but they were beginning to fade at last. 'Now if this bump on the back of my head would go away,' he groused to himself.

Catching the kettle before it could whistle, Jason poured some of the boiling water over the loose tea in the infuser. It was a combination that would help settle Adam's stomach and let the man get a little more sleep. Letting that steep for a few minutes, he added some water to the oatmeal and stirred it. After covering the bowl to keep it warm, he added water to the other bowl, and then put the kettle back on the stove. He'd already taken a couple bottles of water and Gatorade to the bedroom along with a pack of crackers. Putting everything on a tray, he went over to the bathroom. "Are you doing okay, bro?"

The voice startled Adam and he jumped, grabbing madly for the towel that hung on the rack. Covering himself quickly, he answered, "Yeah, I'm okay. I was just getting out." He returned to drying himself off and then opened the door just wide enough to pull his bag inside to retrieve his clothes.

Jason chuckled softly. When Adam finally came out of the bathroom, he grinned at him. "Make sure you put a hoodie on. If you don't have anymore, I've got a couple you can use." He watched his friend. "So want to eat out here or in the bedroom?"

"Out here is fine. And yeah, I need to borrow a hoodie if you don't mind," he said, taking a seat at the kitchen bar. "I don't know what all Rocky grabbed for me and really don't feel like looking at the moment."

He set the bowl of oatmeal and tea in front of Adam. "I've got one on top of the dryer." He went into the laundry area and grabbed one and brought it back out. "Probably gonna be a little big on you, but it's warm." He grabbed his own oatmeal and tea, and then took a seat beside his friend.

Before he even picked up his spoon, Adam took the hoodie and put it on, loving the way it felt. "Nice...this is warm, if a little big," he grinned at the fact that the clothing was at least 2 sizes too large on his smaller frame. After that, he set to eating as much of the oatmeal as he could. "Mmm, this is good. What kind of tea is this?" he asked after taking a long drink.

"It's a blend actually. Sam, think you met him along with David, gave Tommy the recipe. It's got something in it that will calm your stomach and also help you get some more sleep. I added it to a really good Darjeeling. Add in a little honey and there you go."

"Give me the recipe later; I'd like to make some of this at home. The oatmeal is good too, by the way." He really was trying to eat all that he could. He didn't feel all that hungry, but he knew that his body needed the food. That, and he really didn't want to listen to Jason lecture him.

The burly paramedic grinned. "That's from Quaker, but I like mixing the cinnamon and spice with the maple brown sugar." He watched him for a few moments. "Adam, don't push yourself to eat. I know you probably have no appetite, so if you can only manage half of what I gave you, that's fine."

He nodded and as he sat there eating one small bite after another, a thought occurred to him. "Jason, does Tommy know about this? About me, I mean."

"Yeah, we called him to see if he had talked to you. Made us promise we'd call him once we found you."

Adam wrinkled his nose. "And umm...what did he say when you called him back?" After the way he'd flipped out on Tommy about his drinking, Adam was embarrassed that he'd let himself get that drunk for that long.

"He's just worried about you Adam. What you did isn't normal for you and he knows for you to do something like that, then something's bugging you." He grinned slightly. "And he made us promise to take care of you."

"Great. I don't want him to worry about me...he's got enough on his plate. I guess I need to call him."

"We'll call him around his lunchtime. He said that Kyle's going to be gone then and you two can talk." Jason nodded at the almost finished oatmeal in front of his friend. "You had enough?"

"Yeah, I don't think I should push it any further," Adam said, leaning back a bit in the chair. He tried to stifle a yawn but was unsuccessful. "Man, I'm sleepy again all of a sudden."

"Part of that is from the tea and the other part is your body needing its rest." He got up and put their dishes in the sink, then walked back over to Adam and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on; let's get you back in bed."

"Yeah, good idea." As they walked past the guest room, Adam turned to his friend. "I'm surprised the smell of food didn't wake ol' Rocko up," he said with a grin.

"Yeah well, he had the Li'l Dragons before we went over to your place, so they kind of wore him out a bit." Entering the bedroom, Jase shut the door and then got rid of his sweatshirt before looking over at the other man. "You want me to put another blanket on the bed?"

"No, I think it'll be okay as long as I keep the hoodie on. Is it okay to sleep in it?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll do a load of clothes later; add your stuff to the wash as well so we have plenty of clean ones for you." He added another blanket to the bed anyway, then climbed in and held the covers up. "Come on; stretch back out under here, Froggy."

Doing as he was asked, Adam crawled back into bed and let Jason help him get comfortable. "I feel a lot better than I did, Jase-thanks. Hopefully I can get some sleep now."

Jason pulled the other man back into him after turning the lamp off. "Just rest Adam. I'll be here if you need me."

Adam nodded slightly, letting out another big yawn. He was asleep in no time after that.

The Original Red Ranger wasn't far behind his friend. When Jason woke again, according to the clock it was almost 9. He stretched a little, being careful to not wake the figure that was still asleep beside him. Carefully, he eased himself out of the bed and then settled the covers back over Adam. He went to the dresser and got some of his clothes, then went to take a shower.

While he was gone, Adam began to wake slowly. He took stock of how he was feeling at the moment. 'Not too bad. At least I don't feel like I'm gonna hurl anymore. My head still hurts though,' he thought, rubbing the large lump on the back of his head.

Jason walked back into the bedroom, and then grinned when he saw Adam awake. He made his way over to the bed and sat down. "How are you feelin'?"

"Not too bad. My head still hurts, but my stomach's better. Rocky awake yet?"

"Haven't heard him moving around." He leaned down to his bag on the floor and picked it up, setting it on the bed. Removing the penlight, he looked at his friend. "Let's see how you're doing, okay? And I apologize in advance if this makes your head hurt worse."

"Alright, go ahead and do what you have to," Adam said, laying back to give Jason better access.

Grinning, Jason shook his head. "Least it was me you said that to and not Rocky." He started checking his friend out, noticing that he flinched a bit when the light was shined in his eyes. "Light bothering you?" He set it aside and grabbed his BP cuff and stethoscope.

"Yeah, a little bit. It makes my head hurt worse. About Rocky, what do you think he'd say?"

"Not sure, but you know with that mouth of his he'd find something to say about it." It only took a few minutes for Jason to finish the rest of his exam, and then sat back. "Well, you've still got a small fever and your blood pressure is still a bit low, but I was kind of expecting both of those." Jason put his stuff away and set the bag back down on the floor. "If you can keep stuff down the rest of today, I'll take the IV port out, but you've really got to work on at least getting some fluids down."

"I think I can drink something without too much problem. What would be best? Gatorade, you think?"

"Yeah, it'll help you rehydrate better than just water. Right now, that's what you need." He grinned at him. "So, want to veg out on the couch or be a bum in here?"

"On the couch, I think. Too lonely in here by myself and I don't expect you to hang out in bed all day. Got any good movies?" he grinned slightly.

The former Gold Ranger snorted. "I'm a bachelor; of course I have good movies." He grinned and stood up. "Come on, let's get you out there and settled. Need to make a pit stop?"

"Definitely, and you know what? I'm actually a little hungry," Adam replied, sure that that would bring a smile to his friend's face.

Jason smiled softly. "Good. Feel up to trying some eggs and dry toast? I don't want to push your stomach a lot, no matter how hungry you might be."

"We can try it-just not too much. I'm sure the smell of food cooking will wake Rocky up this time," he grinned.

"Probably." He chuckled softly. "Grab a pillow. You can use the blanket hanging over the back of the couch." Watching his friend, he was quiet for a moment. "Need some help?"

"Yeah, I might," he said, holding a hand out to his friend. "I'm still pretty weak, I guess."

"Kind of happens when you don't eat or take care of yourself." He helped his friend up, and then grabbed a pillow. "Come on, let's get the morning necessities taken care of and then we'll get you settled on the couch while I make breakfast."

Finally in the living room, Adam sat on the arm of the chair and looked over Jason's DVD collection. "You do have good stuff here-kinda heavy on the action/martial arts genre, but I guess that's to be expected," he laughed. "What do you wanna watch?"

"Hey, I've got a few comedies and horrors in there. Although, the comedies are mainly because of Rocky and the horrors are from Tommy. Pick something that sounds good, I really don't mind." He started getting the things out that he'd need for breakfast, then put a pot of coffee on.

Pulling one off the shelf, Adam giggled. "Oh my goodness...this has to be one of Rocky's!" He held the case up so that Jason could see the title. "I can't see you seriously going into a movie store to buy '3 Ninjas'."

Rolling his eyes, the paramedic snorted. "No, you're right. That's one of his." He blushed slightly. "I've gotta admit, it is kind of funny. The youngest reminds me of Rocky with how he's always eating."

"Let's watch it, I need to laugh," Adam said and handed it to Jason. He got up slowly and made his way to the couch, sitting down carefully. "Man, any movement makes my head just pound."

"I'll get you something for that in a minute." He popped the video in and went to the kitchen. Making two plates, he put them on a tray and took everything to the living room. Removing one of the plates and the cup of coffee, he handed the tray to Adam. "Here, just eat what you can." Once the former black ranger had hold of it, he went to the bedroom and grabbed a couple of Aleve. Coming back, he handed the pills and a Gatorade to Adam. "Here you go."

"Thanks," he said, carefully balancing the tray on his lap. "I can't believe ol' Rockwell isn't up yet." Just then, the door opened to the guest room and a sleep-tousled Rocky walked out into the living room. "I smell food," he said with a yawn and a scratch.

"Right on cue, I tell ya," Adam laughed and looked up at Jason.

Jason chuckled softly. "There's some left for you in the kitchen, Ape Man." He shook his head. "And if you hurry, you won't miss the start of '3 Ninjas'."

"Oh cool! Don't start it yet, gimme a sec," he said happily and ran down the hallway to the bathroom.

He looked over at Adam. "Now I'm really glad we got all of that done before he got up. Think he would have run in there without checking." He sighed and took a sip of his coffee, then shook his head. "Need to get some fresher stuff."

Without looking up, Adam said, "You need some 'Kyle Surprise', it's really good stuff-even if the name is lacking."

"Oh really? Good stuff, huh? Maybe if Tommy ever decides to drag his sorry ass down here for a visit he can bring some."

Putting his fork down and picking up his drink, Adam said, "It's not so sorry, actually. He promised me that he'd come down-he'll come."

"Good. It's been a bit." He hid a grin behind his cup as he took another drink.

Rocky looked over at Jason with a question on his face. He didn't say anything, but he didn't really have to-Jason knew.

They settled in and watched the movie, finishing up their breakfast and coffee. "Wanna watch another one, Adam?" Jason asked.

"Sure. You pick one this time."

The paramedic nodded and got up, then went over to the video rack. He grinned and held up a DVD case. "Lethal Weapon?"

"That's cool with me. What about you, Rocky?"

"Sure."

He nodded and changed out the discs, then rejoined Adam on the couch. "You get enough to eat?"

"Oh yeah, plenty. Could you get me another Gatorade please?" Adam asked.

Rocky got up. "I'll get it." He grabbed all their plates and the tray Adam had used, and then took everything to the kitchen. He refilled his and Jason's coffee cups, then grabbed a Gatorade for Adam. With some careful balancing, he got all the drinks out to the living room. He grinned as he passed them out. "Okay, time for some Mel.'

Jason snorted. "Gotta admit the guy has some pretty cool moves in this one. Definitely some crazy shit at the end."

"That's true, but I'll bet Tommy could kick his butt with some of the Muay Thai moves he's learned," Adam said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Considering your thigh still looks like a truck hit it, I can believe it." Jason took a drink from his cup. "Then again, Mel's got a pretty nice body for an older guy."

"If you say so," Adam chuckled. "He's not my type, though."

"Mine either," Rocky added.

Raising an eyebrow, Jason looked over at Adam. "Oh? And who would be more your type?"

"Well, I think I'm swearing off women, at least for a while, so I guess I would say tall, dark, and gorgeous. What about you?" Adam asked, turning to Jason.

"I might have to agree with you there." He grinned. "Although, height isn't everything you know." Looking over at Rocky, he caught his raised eyebrow and mouthed 'later' at him. "We'd better get the movie going before we embarrass Rocko too much."

Laughing, Adam glanced over at his old friend. "You don't have virgin ears, do ya?"

"No, not quite. Let's just watch the movie," he said, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

Jason hit play. "Gotta remember, Adam, the Ape Man is purely a ladies man."

"Yep, and look where it's got him," he said with a wink.

Adam liked picking at Rocky-it reminded him of old times. Times when things were simpler.

Rocky tossed a small pillow from the recliner at both of them. "Hush, you're gonna make me miss the movie."

The movie eventually ended, but with only two sets of eyes watching it. Adam had dropped off somewhere around the middle and the other two men had tried to keep quiet to avoid waking him. Getting up slowly, Rocky motioned for Jason to follow him as he headed toward the hallway. Once in Jason's bedroom with the door closed, Rocky turned to his friend. "Okay, give."

The former gold ranger took a seat on the bed. "What do you want me to say Rocky?"

Rocky paced back and forth. "Yesterday when we found him drunk out of his mind, he was crying over Brooke and what all happened with that situation. Now, less than 24 hours later, he's moonin' over some guy. A guy? And don't tell me I'm imaginin' things-I know Adam too well."

"Adam got hit with a lot in a few days. The divorce papers, learning more about Tommy's accident when he was racing, seeing Tommy and how bad things are starting to get with him and then the call from Xander." He shook his head. "It was too much for him all at once." He watched the other man for a moment. "As for it being a guy, you have to remember Adam testing the waters a bit with a couple of guys in college before he met that bitch."

"Yeah, I remember that. But it's too soon and who is this guy? How do we know he won't hurt Adam? I'd hate to have to kill somebody..."

Jason was quiet for a moment, and then sighed. "If I told you that I thought Adam had a crush on Tommy, would you feel the same way?"

Rocky's eyes widened. "Tommy? But...but Tommy's...damn it, Jase, Tommy's yours."

"Just because we've been lovers off and on for years doesn't mean he belongs to me Rocky, even if I really want him to." He looked up at the other man. "You know what Tommy means to me, but you've also seen the results of our fights when I let my dad's approval get between us."

Thinking for a minute, Rocky nodded at last. "Yeah but...he knows how you feel about Tommy, even if you guys aren't together on a permanent basis." He paused again. "Are you sure he's got a crush on Tommy? And would Tom encourage Adam?"

The paramedic sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "I pretty much told him it was okay."

Plopping down on the bed next to his friend, he looked him in the eyes. "Seriously? But what about you? Have you given up on T?"

Jason shook his head. "I could never do that, Rocky." He looked at his friend. "Even if Tommy moved on with someone else, I don't think I ever could. He's too much a part of me, but right now, I still can't give my dad up. And it's not right for me to expect Tommy to wait on me... on us... until I am. As much as I love him, I want him to be happy, even if it's not with me."

Reaching out a hand and placing it on Jason's arm, Rocky shook his head. "Damn...that's very selfless of you. You must really love him." He stopped and thought for a moment. "Well, if it does come to be between them at least you'll know that Adam would never hurt Tommy. Small consolation, I know...but it's something. I just can't see Falcon boy with anybody but you...it'd be...weird."

"I know Adam wouldn't hurt him and maybe right now they'd be good for each other. It might even be only a short term thing with them ending as friends." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Either way, if they do get together, I'm not going to get in the way. I'll still be there for the both of them and that's not going to change."

"You're a good man, Jase. Thank you for everything you're doing for Adam. Don't know what we'd do without ya," Rocky smiled.

"I'm not that good of a man, Rocky. If Adam does get together with him, I can't promise you that I won't be jealous or that my moods will be consistent. I'm just saying that I'll do my best not to let it show." He sighed. "Besides, someone has to look after your asses."

"That's true. So I guess you're gonna stay with Adam today while I take the classes at the dojo, right?"

"Yeah, I want to make sure that he's drinking enough and the nausea's under control. He's also been running a low-grade fever that I want to keep an eye on."

"Alright, that'll work. I guess we need to go make sure he's okay, huh?" he asked, getting up and heading for the door.

"Guess so." He stood up and followed his friend out of the room.

-o-O-o-

Kyle made sure that all of the papers were collected from the Biology class, and then once the bell rang, he rolled his eyes after the last one was gone. Sighing softly, he put the stack in front of his mentor. "That's all of them." He went into the storage room and grabbed his bag. "Anything else you need me to do before I get out of here?"

"No, you're done. Get on out of here-see you tomorrow." He stopped, but then added before the young man could get out the door, "Kyle, I want to know what your doctor says, okay? If you can't make it tomorrow, just let me know."

He was about to protest until the saw his mentor's face harden slightly, then he nodded. "I'll call you tonight, tell you what he says. Don't think I'm going to be able to drive for long afterwards so going out to your place is out. I will call you though, I promise."

Without taking his eyes from the boy, Tommy said, "See that you do. Be careful-talk to you soon." He then turned back to the work on his desk.

Kyle nodded and then walked out of the school. He stopped in at the office to sign out and then left. Once in his truck, he shook his head. "If I don't call him, my ass will not be able to move without him wanting to know where I'm going, who I'm going with, how long I'm gonna be gone..." He chuckled softly, and then started for his doctor's office. "Actually kinda nice knowing someone cares."

Tommy sighed, thinking about his young friend's frequent medical tests. _'Damn, that's gotta get old...real fast. Poor kid.'_ He tried to turn his attention to the stack of papers on the corner of his desk that were waiting to be graded. Reaching for them, he mumbled, "These grades had better be an improvement over the last test or those kids are in trouble."

Jason looked at the time, then over at Adam, who was trying to pick out another movie after waking up from his nap. "Hey Adam, are you ready to give Tommy a call?"

Adam turned toward him, a small smile creeping across his mouth. "Yeah, sure...we can." Inside, he was excited about talking to Tom but it worried him. 'I think I'm getting in over my head here,' he thought.

"Take a seat and I'll give him a call." He grabbed the phone and dialed his sometime lover's cell, then waited for him to pick up.

Up in Reefside, Dr. Oliver felt his phone vibrating on his hip. He quickly pulled it from its case and looked at the caller ID. "Right on time," he said with a smile. Flipping it open, he answered, "Dr. Oliver."

"Yeah, Doc, I've got this pain in my shoulder and it gets worse when I raise my arm." Jason grinned, and then winked at Adam, who was watching him with a raised eyebrow.

Tommy laughed. "Oh I can fix that...don't raise your arm. Hey Jase...how's the patient?"

'What the hell is he talking about?' Adam wondered to himself.

He chuckled softly. "Frog Boy's doing well. He actually ate something and has been drinking Gatorade like he's supposed to. Took a nap and just woke up a bit ago. Figured I'd wait until then to call you." He grinned. "Your TA still around or has he already left?"

"No, he's gone. Glad to hear Adam's doing okay-how are you? Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Yeah, I did. He woke up about 3 this morning, but we were both asleep again by 4." He looked over at his friend. "Want to talk to him?"

"Yeah, I do, but I want to talk to you again afterwards, okay?"

"Okay, no problem." He handed the phone over to Adam. "It's Tommy."

Adam took it from him and settled back against the couch. "Hey Tommy."

"Hey man, how you feelin'? Jason says you're doing pretty good," Tommy said, noticing how rough his friend's voice sounded.

"Still kinda tired and I've been running a fever, but I'm hanging in there." He was quiet for a moment. "How are you doing? Heard I gave everyone a bit of a scare. I'm really sorry about that, Tom."

"You should be and don't think we're not gonna talk about it when I see you again," he said in his teacher's voice. "But I understand-you didn't mean to upset anybody. You know I'm here if you need to talk, right? Why didn't you call?" he asked, and then added. "I'm fine, by the way."

"I can't tell you why I refused to call you. Probably because I know you have enough things on your plate right now. Besides, you've got Kyle to worry about. You didn't need to add me to the list." He sighed. "I don't know, T. Guess I just thought that if I drank enough, I could forget. That's all I wanted to do, at least for a while. Just didn't realize how much time had passed."

Tommy nodded. "It's okay; I can pretty much understand all of that. But if there's one thing I can tell you for sure, it's that drinking doesn't solve your problems. They're right there waiting for you when you sober up. But we can get together soon and talk face to face, okay? Will you do that for me?"

"Guess I owe you at least that for scaring you." He went quiet, toying with a string from Jason's hoodie.

"Besides, we promised each other that we'd talk about our problems to each other, didn't we? Remember that?"

Adam sighed. "Yeah, I remember. Just easier to talk face-to-face, you know?" He looked over at Jason through the gap that led to the kitchen. "Guess I forgot that I can talk to Jason, too. Between you, him and Rocky, you were the first one that I really started talking to about..." He went quiet again, not wanting to bring her name into things.

"Yeah...and I appreciate you trusting me like that. But you're right; you can talk to Jase...and Rocky. Let your friends help you, okay? That's what we're here for."

"I will." He snorted. "Besides, I don't think Jase is gonna let me do much of anything for a few days."

Laughing, Tommy agreed. "Yeah, you're probably right. He's gonna sit on you for a little while-better get used to the idea. Anyway, I'm working on getting a little time off work so that I can come down and see you guys. It'll be soon, okay?"

"Really?" The former black ranger actually perked up a bit at that. "Maybe by then I'll feel a little better."

Tommy smiled. "Yeah, really. Now you get some rest and let Rex take care of you, okay? I'll talk to you again tomorrow or the next day. But if you need me-you call me. I don't mind at all."

He sighed softly while trying to fight down a yawn. "I will." He grinned. "Can you bring some coffee with you?"

"Some 'Kyle Surprise'? Sure. Now let me talk to Jase for a minute. Take another nap, okay? You sound awfully tired," Tommy said. "See you soon-I promise."

"Okay, see you soon, Tommy." He sat up a bit and looked over at Jason. "Jase, he wants to talk to you again."

The paramedic came back over and took the phone from him, but held up the thermometer. "Temp first." He cradled the phone. "Give me a second, Falcon."

"No problem," Tommy replied, knowing that one friend was busy taking care of the other friend.

Jason inserted the thermometer in Adam's ear, and then waited for it to beep. He shook his head and held out two Tylenol to him. "Take these, Adam. You're still around 100."

"And I feel every day of it too," he said and grinned up at Jason. Even if he didn't feel much better physically, talking to Tommy had lifted his spirits a bit.

"Ha ha, Froggy." He grinned at him and ruffled his hair. "Get some rest and when I get done talking to Tommy, I'll make you some tea." When he got a nod, he moved down the hall to his bedroom and walked in, shutting the door before taking a seat on the bed. "Take it you heard he's still running a fever."

"Yeah, has it been very high? I mean, 100 isn't awful, but it's higher than you want, I know."

"It was 102 yesterday, almost 103. Pretty much the same thing when he woke me up this morning in a cold sweat and shivering. I'm just hoping that it's just his body still leveling out and not him having picked something up while he was so drunk."

"But he was alone in his apartment...what could he have picked up?"

"He'd also been around his students that Monday and Tuesday. If one of them had something, like the flu or a cold, it could have just been incubating. He's not sneezing or coughing, so I think it's just his body trying to get back in balance." He sighed and stretched a bit.

"I hope you're right. The last thing he needs right now is to come down with something. I'm so glad you're taking care of him, though. It makes me feel better." He was quiet for a minute and then he softly said, "I miss you, Rex."

"I miss you, too. Can't wait to see you again."

"You're gonna see me this weekend. It was so hard not to tell Adam about my visit-hope he believes that I'm coming to see him soon."

"I'm sure he does. I think that's when he perked up a bit." He grinned. "So you alone in that classroom of yours?"

"Umm yeah, at the moment." Suddenly he got Jason's drift. "Why? Whaddya have in mind?" he asked with a wicked grin on his face.

"I'm feeling like a very bad student that might be in need of some extra lessons." He let his voice deepen slightly. "But Teacher, I think you might want to make sure the door is locked. You know how I can get distracted so easily during a lesson."

"Yeah...you are a baaad boy. I'm gonna have to keep you after class for some disciplinary action," Tommy said while moving over to the classroom door to lock it.

He'd gotten up and locked his own bedroom door, then went back over to the bed. Stretching out on it, he undid the button on his jeans. "Are you going to paddle me? Can I keep my jeans on or have I been so bad that I need to strip them off?"

"Oh, we're gonna have to take those pants down, I think. Now where's my paddle?" he asked with a grin and made his way back to the supply room that he used as a break room. "Now how many licks do you deserve? Hmmm?"

Raising his hips, Jason pushed his boxers and jeans down, and then let them slide to the floor. "Isn't there anything that I can do to avoid a paddling?" His voice dropped and took on a smoky quality. "I'll do anything."

Shutting the door, Tommy grabbed a bandana from his bag and a couple of paper towels. He wet the towels and set them down close to the couch along with the bandana. "Hmmm, anything, huh?" He used his free hand to undo his pants and slide them down along with his boxers, then settled back onto the couch. "How about if I told you to get on your knees and show me what you remember from Biology?"

(NC-17 Content Removed)

For several moments, Jason can't say anything, but by the heavy breathing on the other end of the phone, he knows that Tommy is in the same state. As his breathing slows down again, he sighs softly. "Friday night it's my turn to pound the teacher's ass when I see you, Falcon."

"It'll be my pleasure...literally," he stopped to once again catch his breath. "That was an interesting diversion from class...thank you," he grinned widely, cleaning himself up some.

"Well, I figured we could both do with some stress relief." He chuckled softly. "Although you might want to crack a window and let it air out a bit." He sighed softly, feeling slightly sated.

"Yeah, you're right. All I need is for Kyle to walk in here and smell sex all over the place," he chuckled. "You'd better go check on Adam. I've gotta get myself together and get some work done now. I'll call you tomorrow or the next day, alright?"

"I work a shift on Thursday, but if you call tomorrow, use my cell. Rocky will be here with Adam and I'm heading to the dojo." He grinned slightly.

"Will do. Take care of yourself and Adam, okay? Talk to you then," Tommy replied.

"I will. Talk to you later, Tom. I love you."

Smiling warmly, Tommy answered him. "I love you too, Jase. Be good."

-o-O-o-

Kyle left Chris' office after promising to call when he got home. Today hadn't been too bad, just some lab work and a quick physical. Still, he was more than tired by the time he left. For a brief moment, he thought about calling a cab, but didn't want to have to take one in the morning to come get his truck. Shaking his head, he got in and buckled up, then headed home. After pulling into the drive, he didn't even consider going to check his mail. Instead, he grabbed his bag and went inside, locking the door behind him. _'So tired.'_ The young man sighed and dropped his bag by the door_. 'I'll rest for a few minutes, then call Chris and Dr. O.'_ He kicked his shoes off, and then stretched out on the couch. In minutes, he was sound asleep.

Chris checked his watch again and went out to the front desk. Looking at Janice he raised an eyebrow. "Has he called yet?" When she shook her head, he sighed and went back into his office. "I'm gonna hurt that boy." For the past two hours, he'd been trying to get a hold of Kyle without success. 'Well, can't reach him, then we'll just have to try for his mentor.' Pulling up Kyle's info, he found the number he was looking for, then dialed it and hoped that Dr. Oliver wasn't busy.

Pulling his phone from the hip case, Tommy looked at the caller ID. _'Westside Physicians Group'_, he thought. 'What's that about?' "Dr. Oliver."

"Dr. Oliver, I'm sorry if I startled you, but this is Chris Walters, Kyle's doctor. I was wondering if he'd called you."

Looking at his watch, Tommy realized that Kyle really should have called him by now. "No, no he hasn't. Is anything wrong? Did his appointment go okay?"

"He was supposed to call me when he got back home and that was almost two hours ago. The appointment went fine. I just wanted to get some blood from him and ended up giving him a small physical while I was at it."

"I haven't heard from him. I'm leaving school anyway-if I can't get him on the phone, I'll go over there. I'll call you when I find out what's going on. Hopefully, it's nothing," Tommy said, quickly stuffing the last of his things into his briefcase. Once they'd hung up, he made his way quickly out to the parking lot, dialing Kyle's phone number as he went.

"Damn voice mail," he said when Kyle failed to answer. "Guess I'll have to go over there. Now where's that key?"

Chris shook his head. 'That boy's ass is grass and the good doctor is the lawn mower.' Grinning, he couldn't really find it in himself to feel guilty about what he'd done.

Arriving outside Kyle's house, Tommy went quickly to the front door and began knocking. It quickly became banging, but before long, Tommy took out the key and let himself in. Finding Kyle on the couch, the boy's mentor checked him over quickly to make sure that he was just asleep. "Kyle...Kyle...wake up," he said, shaking the young man gently.

Kyle had vaguely heard someone knocking, but thought it was just part of his dream and had stretched out more on the couch. The hand on his arm combined with the shaking and the voice had him opening his eyes.

For a moment, all he could really make out was someone standing over him and he threw himself back further on the couch, thinking that Jared had come back. He didn't say anything as he just stared at the man in front of him, shaking where he sat. A few moments later, he realized who it was that had shaken him awake. Putting his feet on the floor, Kyle rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. "You scared the hell out of me, Dr. O." He could still feel his heart hammering in his chest.

"Sorry kiddo, but you had me and Dr. Chris worried-I had to come and see if you were okay. Why didn't you call?"

Frowning at him slightly, Kyle looked at his watch before groaning. "Oh man. I'm sorry." He sat back a bit. "I was almost dead on my feet when I got home." Kyle fought back a yawn as he started talking. "Chris didn't do a lot." He snorted. "Well, aside from not lifting the restriction about working out and lecturing me about needing to gain weight, again. Still, by the time I walked in, I figured that I'd catch a quick nap then call you both before I ate, worked a bit on my paper and went to bed."

"As long as you're okay, that's the main thing. Sorry I scared you," Tommy said, trying to stifle the grin that was threatening to break out. "Feeling any better now?"

The blonde cocked an eyebrow at him. "You mean aside from my heart going about a hundred miles an hour while fighting the urge to go and check my pants?" He shook his head. "Still feel like ten miles of bad road, but I need to eat and work on my final paper for class."

"Tell you what-you go check your pants and I'll run down the street and get us some dinner, okay? I need to eat anyway and I also need to make sure you eat. Whatcha want?"

Rolling his eyes, Kyle sighed. "I'll check your pants." He chuckled softly, and then stretched a bit. "I had a sandwich for lunch, so I know you're not going to let me get away with that again. So, some of that lemon chicken with a couple of dumplings will work."

"Okay, I can do that. Be back in a few minutes," he said, heading for the front door. "And watch the cracks about my pants," he said with a grin.

"How about I just watch the crack and be done with it?" He laughed softly when the older man blushed and got up, intending to take a shower while he was gone.

'That boy ain't right,' Tom thought as he got into his jeep to go and get their dinner. Making it back in about 30 minutes, he managed to get inside and to the table without dropping anything. "Kyle, dinner's here," he announced since he'd let himself in again.

Yawning, the blonde came back into the living room, running a hand through his wet locks. "Smells good." His stomach growled a bit, causing him to blush as he detoured to get something from the kitchen. "Did you want something to drink? I've got sweet tea, juice, water and milk."

"Just water for me, thanks," Tom said, removing the various containers from the bags.

"Okay." He poured the older man a glass from the pitcher he kept in his fridge and a glass of juice for himself. Reaching into the cabinet, he grabbed the small box with his meds and took everything back out to the living room. "Here ya go." Taking a seat next to his mentor, he set the box on the table. "Thanks for doing this."

Tommy smiled at him. "It's okay-I don't mind at all. I'm just glad to know that you're okay. So the appointment was really that bad, huh?" he asked, picking up a container and a pair of chopsticks.

Kyle shrugged as he took two of the meds out of the box and opened them, downing the doses with a bit of juice before he grabbed the other set of chopsticks and one of the other containers. "Considering he didn't take any bone marrow or a biopsy, it was actually okay. Chris just keeps harping on me about the weight. Says if I don't start picking up again soon, we're going to have to try something else." He started eating.

"You know Kyle; I could probably help you with that. But, of course, that would mean that you'd have to do what I say. Interested?"

He was quiet for several minutes, pausing with each bite he took while letting his gaze drift a couple of times from what he was eating to the meds he had to take to his mentor and back. Finally, he sighed. "If it'll help me get off some of this crap or stop having to see Chris as often," His eyes rose to meet the older man's. "I'd do just about anything."

"Alright then, you'll have to eat what I tell you when I tell you-no skipping meals, okay? Oh, and you have to rest-you can't overdo it and run yourself ragged. Deal?"

"The eating I don't have a problem with nor the resting part. Right now though, that's part of the problem." Kyle sighed at Tommy's raised eyebrow. "I have been resting. After lunch, I've been taking naps in my truck. I've stopped helping out at Haley's except to go in and make coffee. That's it. No waiting on customers or anything. Still feel like I have no energy. That's why I've been seeing Chris so often lately."

"And what does he seem to think the problem is?" Tommy asked, taking a bite of the dumpling on his chopsticks.

"I'm not making red blood cells fast enough. None of them are dying off or anything, I'm just producing them really slowly. I've got about a month before he's going to try a different treatment. That one will last for a month, but I'll be seeing him three times a week." He took a drink of juice. "Not looking forward to it. Maybe after I get this final paper done I can relax a bit more and that might help."

"I see. Is there anything I can do to help with the paper? Besides writing it for you, of course," he grinned.

Kyle snorted. "I've seen copies of your rough drafts for your doctoral work, no thanks. The writing part I can handle. I'm just trying to find two more sources that I can use for references in showing the differences in educational tools necessary for a successful classroom environment in the science courses versus those of the literature department."

"I should be able to help with that. When is your paper due?"

"Next Monday. I've got about 14 pages written, but I still need at least another 10 in order to get a B on it." He sat back a bit, having finished almost half of what his mentor had gotten for him.

"We'll work on it this week. It'll help keep my mind off stuff anyway," Tom said, finishing up his dinner and sitting back in the chair.

"I noticed that you were kind of distracted today when you almost gave the General class the handouts for the Advanced. You seem more focused now though."

"Umm yeah...," he blushed. "I've been kinda worried about something but I think things are gonna be okay-just have to wait and see."

"Want to talk about it? Seems the least I can do since you've heard me whine and complain tonight."

"Oh...you don't need to hear about my problems. You've got enough going on. It's okay," Tommy said.

Kyle sighed and locked gazes with the man. "Tommy, if it worries you enough that it's distracting you in class, and then it's partially my problem as well. So if listening to what is going on will help keep things running smoothly in the class without worrying about someone dumping sulfur into hydrochloric acid, then I'll listen."

Dr. Oliver chuckled. "Okay, point taken," he sighed. "Well...you remember my friend Adam, right?"

The blonde blushed. "Yeah, I remember him, considering he chased me out of your place in his boxers."

"Yeah, that's him," Tom smiled. "He's been having a really rough time lately. His marriage ended rather badly and he got the final divorce papers last week-kinda sent him over the edge a bit. To make a long story short, he tied on a several day drunk and is now at Jase's house being taken care of," he said, shaking his head.

"Wow that really blows." He was quiet for a few moments. "Why don't you go see him? You two looked pretty relaxed together, maybe seeing you will cheer him up."

"I'm going to. His birthday is this weekend and we're throwing him a surprise party. I'm going down on Friday as soon as Randall will let me go."

"Well, tell her that you have a doctor's appointment or something that afternoon. The pep rally doesn't really require you to be there and you could cut out about an hour early that way. Beat the traffic in getting on the road. Or, since the Advanced class doesn't even come in on Friday, you could take off at lunch." He was quiet for a moment. "If I put something together for him, will you take it down with you?"

"Sure," he smiled. "As a matter of fact, he's been singing the praises of 'Kyle Surprise' to our friends in Angel Grove. Jase wants to try some."

He grinned. "I'll make sure to include a couple bags of that as well, but it wasn't what I was planning on."

"Oh? Dare I ask?"

"Come on, don't you trust me?" He raised an eyebrow, and then winked at the older man. Laughing softly, he leaned forward and picked up three of the other meds and shook out his doses before taking them with the last of the juice.

Tommy looked at him warily. "I don't know..." he said and paused for a moment. "As long as it'll cheer him up, I guess I can trust you," he smiled.

"I promise, no dildos or cock rings, now condoms that might be a different story." He said it all with a straight face, looking right at his mentor.

"Don't you dare! The last thing he needs is to be reminded that he's not getting any. Kyle..." he looked at his protégé with an eyebrow cocked. "You wouldn't..."

"No, I wouldn't. I know that I've got a smart mouth on me and that I make a lot of sexually-oriented jokes, but-" He shrugged. "It's how I cover things. I might never have been married or in a relationship that it hurt me to lose, but I know what my mom went through after my dad left." The younger man was quiet for a moment before changing gears. "To me, Adam looks like the kind of person that would be into hoodies and that kind of stuff."

"You know, I'm not sure anymore. He used to wear them alot, though. Hey, speaking of gifts, you wouldn't happen to know where I could get something with Korean on it, would you?"

"Hot Topic, if you're looking for something off the shelf. Otherwise, there's a small store at the end of the road opposite the mall. They have a lot of Korean items. Teak wood boxes with kanjis, silk tapestries and that kind of stuff. It's not over the top price wise and some of the stuff is really cool." He got up and went over to shelf, coming back with a black lacquered box. "I got this for my mom the week I left for school. It was the last thing I got to buy for her, but it came from there. The shop owner says that the symbols on it represent love and family."

"That's really nice," Tom said looking at the box and then turning his gaze to Kyle. 'Poor kid-he's really had a hard life.' "I'll go over there and see what they've got-thanks for the suggestion. So, you feelin' okay?"

"No problem." He took the box back and replaced it on the shelf, then took his seat on the couch again. "Still really tired, but I need to work on my paper." He pushed the sleeves of his shirt up a bit, and then started pulling them back down when his bruises stood out. It wasn't hard to know what his mentor might be thinking. "No one did anything to me. I don't have anyone that I'm seeing right now and my latest ex isn't even in town. Least I don't think he is. They're just because of the anemia, I promise. So you're going to take off early Friday, right?"

Tom held his hands up. "Whoa whoa...did I say anything? Why are you being so defensive, Kyle?"

He blushed. "I'm sorry, just habit I guess. Considering my last..." He shook his head. "Not important, but I am sorry."

Fixing him with a serious look, Tommy changed the tone of his voice. "What aren't you telling me? Come on now, I told you what was going on with me...now it's your turn. It's what friends do-and you are my friend, right?"

"Guess I'm starting to see it that way." He sighed. "I've only had two people I've ever gone out with. The first one got accepted into a big school out east shortly after my mom died. The last one," He sighed. "Jared was okay the first few months we were going out. Then he'd get mad over stupid crap. Start yelling and throwing things. Hit me a few times. Then his 'tastes' changed and he wanted me to do things that I was uncomfortable with. Finally broke it off with him about a month before this school year started. The teachers I had though, that last semester I was just attending college, would ask me what the bruises were from. None of them saw me as anything but another problem to deal with."

Tommy sat up on the edge of his seat. "Is this fool still around? Have you heard from him lately?"

"I haven't talked to him since I broke it off. He's only been here, to the house, once. Most of the time, we went to his place in Angel Grove." He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. "Broke it off after I finally saw what he had in a room he normally kept locked. That's when I realized he was deep into the dom-sub stuff."

"Got a picture of him?" Tom wanted to see what this jerk looked like, just in case he spotted him somewhere. Kyle talked a good game, but when it came down to it, he couldn't defend himself-Tommy knew that.

"Yeah, I've got one left. It's a group shot." He got up and went over to the fridge, coming back with a photo. "That's Jared." He points to the guy standing behind him, with a hand clamped almost vice-like to his shoulder. "We'd just finished a group project for a class. Jared wasn't part of it, but he invited himself along when we went to lunch."

"Uh huh..." he said, studying the picture closely. "Okay well, if you see him around Reefside, you let me know okay? I mean it, Kyle," he said and gave him a serious look.

"I will, I promise. Have no desire to run into that bastard again. Hell, he's part of the reason that I haven't even started trying to date again."

"Everybody's not like that-you'll find someone that'll treat you right. But you gotta look to find, know what I mean?"

Kyle snorted. "Not that many people are interested in someone like me. Besides, I've got enough on my plate right now. Don't need to worry about if my date's gonna be a sadistic bastard that wants to tie me up and beat me before screwing me and not caring if I'm enjoying it or not." He sighed. "Besides, you're not dating either."

"Damn...just lay it out there, Rip. Anyway, how do you know I'm not seeing anyone? You're not privy to everything about me, ya know," he said with a grin.

He raised an eyebrow. "I know that except for this afternoon, that it's been a little over a month since you've had that 'I've been laid' look. And I know that it wasn't Hayley either time."

"Oh my god...Kyle," the young man's mentor said, turning three shades of red. After a moment of slack-jawed staring and head shaking, he finally found his voice. "Now you know that I was at school right up until I came over here. Just when do you think I had time to get laid? Answer me that."

"True, but there's always other ways." He grinned at him unrepentantly. "Phone sex, fantasizing with pictures or maybe a quickie with someone in the janitor's closet or the storage room. Lots of doors that lock in the school you know."

Standing and taking his empty containers and glass into the kitchen, Tommy stalled a little_. 'I can't believe him,'_ he thought while getting another drink of water. _'Am I that transparent?'_

Gathering his own stuff, Kyle followed his mentor. After putting his leftovers in the fridge and refilling his glass, he looked over at him. "Look, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but I've gotten pretty good at being able to read you. I know when you've got a headache because you squint more and get a crease in your forehead. You also make less eye contact with everyone. When something else hurts, you have me pretty much do all the writing on the board or passing things out." He grinned. "And when you're in a grouchy mood, you tell everyone to read the next chapter and be quiet."

"Is that right? Well tell me, how do I look now since you seem to think I 'got some' this afternoon?"

"Honestly? You look really content. Like you've had something really good happen to you that got rid of some of the stress you were feeling." He leaned against the counter. "You look like you've reconnected with someone that means a lot to you."

"You got a crystal ball somewhere, kid? Either that or you're extraordinarily observant." He paused for a moment. _'He's a good kid-I can trust him,'_ Tom thought. "Actually, you're sorta right. I did reconnect with someone special to me-not physically, but it did me good nonetheless."

"No crystal ball, I promise. If I did, I would have used it when I was seven to not go on that camping trip. And I'm happy for you." He grinned. "Maybe you'll have fewer grumpy days." The blonde went quiet for a few moments. "You know the one good thing that came out of that camping trip?"

"What's that?"

"I got to meet the Red Ranger. It was the only part of that whole trip that was even halfway decent, but not even that would've happened if I hadn't been bit."

Tommy's eyes opened a bit wider. "The-the Red Ranger, huh? How did you meet an actual ranger?" Tommy was quickly doing the math in his head to figure out what year that would've been and who said Red Ranger would've been.

"After I got bit, there was a lot of screaming and yelling. The snake was pretty big and it scared everyone. Guess we drew attention to ourselves, but where we were camping there had only been one other group in the area. We didn't see them, only heard them. Sounded like a group of boys, maybe older Scouts or something. Anyway, one of the assistant scout leaders started heading that way to see if they had a radio or something while another one started back to the ranger station for help. Next thing, there's two Power Rangers in the camp: the red one and the one in blue. Red asked what was going on and then Blue suggested that the one in red take me to the hospital. That's the last I really remember aside from the one in red picking me up and tell me it was going to be okay." He grinned. "One of the others on the trip though, told me later that the one in blue talked funny and used a lot of big words."

"Wow, that's pretty cool. So you only saw Red and Blue, huh?" He stopped and thought about what to say next. "I saw them a few times back in the day-the one in green was a cool guy, I think," he said, stifling a grin. 'Wait till I tell Jase...he won't believe this,' Tom thought.

"Yeah, I saw them fight a couple of times before I was bit." He took a long drink of the juice. "Sometimes I wonder what it felt like to be able to do something like that to help people." He grinned. "Still though, being a teacher is pretty cool at times."

"Yeah, I know what you mean about helping people, but being a teacher is helping people, right? We're not all cut out to fight monsters and stuff, but we can still make a difference." He paused and then added, "Boy, that was corny but you get the idea."

Kyle laughed softly. "Yeah, I get the point, trust me. Although I have to admit, I'd love it if there was actually a place to learn martial arts up here. Got to talking to Chris and he said that would be better for me than running." He grinned. "When he lets me start working out again that is."

"You want to learn? That's no problem-I'll be happy to teach you. And so will Adam and Jase. Adam runs a dojo, ya know."

"Yeah, I know. He told me and so have you." For a moment, he was quiet, and then he looked at the older man. "Yeah, I'd like to learn, but only if you won't hurt yourself."

Giving him a disapproving look, Tommy said, "Kyle, do you know how long I've been teaching martial arts? I believe I can handle just one beginner student without injuring myself."

Blushing slightly, he grinned and held his hands up. "Okay, okay. Was just saying with you being so much older than me and all, Mr. Experience."

"Okay, now you sound like Kira. Quit while you're behind. You want to learn or not?"

He grinned, and then grew serious. "Yes, I want to learn. It's something I've always wanted to do, but never really got the chance."

"Okay, then we'll set something up. Right now though, I have gotta get home-got work to do. You okay to be by yourself? Want to come stay over for the night? You're welcome to, ya know."

He hesitated. While he didn't mind staying alone, there were times that he'd rather be around someone and he really didn't want to be alone tonight. Finally, he nodded. "If you don't mind, but I'd have to get a ride with you. There's no way that I'd stay awake for the drive."

"I don't mind at all-that's why I asked. Get your stuff together and we'll go," Tommy said, walking back into the living room. "Anything I can get for you?"

"Can you put the meds that are on the table into a bag for me? I've got some under the sink." He followed the other man out. "Just need to grab a few things and then we can go." Going back into his bedroom, Kyle picked up a bag and tossed a pair of sweats and T-shirt in it to sleep in. He added a sweatshirt, socks, boxers and belt before going over to the closet and getting a pair of slacks and shirt for the next day. Once he had everything from his room and the bathroom, he went back into the living room. "Just need my bag from beside the door. It's got my research for my paper in it."

"I'll get that," Tom said, holding the bag with Kyle's medicine in it. "Come on, lock up and let's go." With that, he headed toward the front door and picked up the other bag. "I'll bring you home after school tomorrow, so don't worry about your truck."

"All right," He followed him out and locked the door behind them, then made his way over to the jeep. "Thanks for letting me do this." Tossing his bag into the back, he climbed into the front seat and put on his seat belt.

Shooting him a grin, Tom said, "No problem-us bachelors gotta watch out for each other."

"True. So what do you want for breakfast? Least I can do is cook for us before school."

Chris grumbled under his breath. "I'm gonna hurt them both. I swear, let me meet Dr. Oliver." He dialed the number he'd called earlier and waited for someone to pick up.

Tommy heard his phone ring and immediately knew who it must be. "Oh my god! I forgot to call Chris back! He's gonna kill me!" Flipping his phone open, he answered it sheepishly. "Dr. Oliver."

"You know, I thought because you were a teacher that you could remember something simple like calling me back." He sighed. "Did you find Kyle?"

"Chris, I am sooo sorry. Yeah, I found him-he'd fallen asleep on the couch. I guess I got so wrapped up in making sure he was okay and also making sure that he ate, that I forgot to call you back. Again, I am so sorry."

He sighed. "Just please don't let it happen again. I've pretty much watched the little shit grow up and I worry about him sometimes." He was quiet for a moment. "And right now, he's worrying me. Tell him to not fool with that damn paper tonight and get some sleep. He needs it."

"I will." Tommy paused. Not very often did someone have the opportunity or the balls to talk to him that way. But...he knew he'd messed up. "I'm glad you worry about him-I do too. He's staying with me tonight so I'll make sure he takes it easy."

"Good." He sighed. "I didn't mean to come down on you like that, but I really do worry about him being by himself so much. If he was in better shape right now, I'd probably worry less." The doctor was quiet for a moment. "Wouldn't mind sitting on him for a couple of days, would you? Until at least Friday? If he'll take it easy until then, I think it might help things."

Kyle raised an eyebrow_. 'Sure is taking a long time for Chris to tell him off. Not really liking the way this could be heading. If they start working together, my ass is grass.'_

"Yeah, I can do that. He won't like it much, but if that's what you want, that's what we'll do," Tommy replied.

"It'll help. He's got a month for something to change before we try something new and resting more will help. For some reason, he sleeps better with someone else around." He snorted. "I've let him sleep in my office some Saturdays or taken him home with me for a weekend or two. Once he relaxes, he sleeps better and deeper. That's what he needs right now. The term ending for him will help a lot as well. Your school year isn't as bad on him, but that and his normal classes are a bit rough."

"I can believe that-I remember what it was like. I'll take care of him, Chris. Feel free to call me any time, okay?"

"I'd actually like to talk to you face-to-face sometime without Kyle around. Maybe if you know what to look for, you'll be able to help me a bit better in looking out for him, but yeah, I'll call you. Tell Kyle to call me tomorrow."

"I sure will and again, I'm sorry I forgot to call you back-my memory isn't the best sometimes." 'What an understatement that is-if he only knew.'

Chris snorted. "Yeah well, from what Kyle says, you can be rather absent-minded." He grinned. "I'll talk to you later. Have a good night." Shaking his head, Chris hung up, and then grinned_. 'Oh yeah, the kid's ass is most definitely grass and Dr. Oliver is an industrial lawn mower.'_

"So what did he say that had you saying I wouldn't like it?" The blonde looked at his former teacher-mentor-friend, eyebrow raised, as he asked his question. Something told him the two men were going to end up working in cahoots about him.

"Well, he's just concerned about you," Tom began, not taking his eyes from the road. "He was very relieved to find out you were staying with me tonight." He paused for a moment, knowing what was coming next. "And...He wants you to stay with me until Friday. I told him that wouldn't be a problem."

Kyle sighed. "Somehow, I knew you two were gonna end up working together. Guess I can't really blame him though. I've scared him a few times." He snorted. "Chris keeps pestering me to find a roommate or something." He leaned his head back against the headrest. Yes, he was mad, but at the same time he knew that they were both trying to look out for him.

"It won't be so bad at my house for a few days-I'm not unbearable to live with," Tom said, smiling. He knew Kyle wasn't going to like the arrangement, but only because it was made without consulting him. "We're not trying to run your life Buddy, we're both just concerned about you and right now...well, you need some looking after."

"Did he tell you that I had to argue with him to keep helping you out in class this week? He wanted me to choose, but I agreed to skip out on Hayley's Thursday instead."

"No, he didn't mention it, but I'm glad that he agreed to let you keep helping me. Sitting around the house all day wouldn't be good for you either." He paused and smiled, turning to look at his protégé. "Besides, I need you."

Kyle snorted. "You need someone to make sure you don't forget to turn the Bunsen burners off or the wrong chemicals don't get mixed." He grinned at him. "And thanks again for letting me stay with you."

"No problem. Actually, it'll be kinda nice to have someone else in the house for a few days. I appreciate peace and quiet, but...sometimes it gets a little too peaceful and quiet!"

"Considering you live in the sticks, could always invite a 'coon or deer into the house. That'd liven things up a bit."

Tommy chuckled. "No kiddin'! I don't think I'm that desperate, though. If I wanna have a bull in the house, I'll invite Jase up," he said grinning. 'And what a bull he is, too,' Tom thought, remembering the episode from earlier that day.

"I've met Adam, but am I ever going to meet this Jase you keep talking about?"

"Yeah, of course you will. He comes up to visit me every few weeks or so-lives in Angel Grove. We went to high school together just like Adam and me.

"That's cool." He tried to fight off a yawn, but failed, then sighed softly. "We're gonna have to stop at my place on the way home from school tomorrow. Only brought clothes for the night." He closed his eyes as he finished talking.

"Okay, we'll do that," Tom said. 'I may end up carrying him into the house by the time we get there-he looks beat.'

He fought to try and get his eyes open again, then gave up. "Wake me when we get there?"

"Alright, just rest for now. We'll be there in about 10 minutes." Pulling up into the driveway exactly ten minutes later, Tommy glanced over at his young friend. 'I hate to wake him up-he looks so peaceful.' "Kyle...Kyle," he said softly, trying not to startle him. Adding a hand on the boy's arm, he tried again. "Kyle, wake up-we're here."

The young man opened his eyes slowly, then looked over at him. "Okay." It took him a couple of tries to get the seat belt off then he yawned again. "Might need a hand."

"Okay, let me come around," he said and got out. "Here we go, take it easy," he said, opening the passenger side door and supporting Kyle under the arm.

It took him a couple moments to feel like he could actually walk, then he nodded. "Thanks for the help." He managed to grab his bag from the back and walked with his mentor towards the house. "Been a while since I've felt this tired."

"Well once we get inside, you can either lie down on the couch or go on up to bed-whichever you prefer. You've already had your shower so just make yourself comfortable."

"Don't think I could handle stairs right now, so the couch will be fine." Kyle let Tommy help him up the stairs onto the porch and then inside.

'Damn, he sure is weak. I hope he's gonna be okay,' Tom worried to himself. 'If he's still this bad off tomorrow, I'm calling Chris.'

He dropped his bag close to the couch, then slipped out of his shoes before stretching out on the couch. "Thanks again, Tommy." He looked up gratefully at the older man, and then drifted off to sleep.

Making sure the door was locked, Tommy went upstairs to take a quick shower and change clothes. He had some work that he needed to get done, so he thought now would be a good time to get those things out of the way-while Kyle was asleep. 'Actually, I might call Rex tonight and ask him about Kyle's condition. Maybe there's something I can do.'

-o-O-o-

Jason walked back to the bedroom and checked on Adam. His friend had been fighting a headache off and on all day. Opening the door, he noticed that the other man was asleep. Nodding, he quietly closed the door and went back to the kitchen to finish dinner.

Once out of the shower, Tom wrapped a towel around his hips and walked back downstairs to check on Kyle. Finding him asleep, he walked into the kitchen and picked up the cordless, dialing Jason's number.

The paramedic flipped a dish towel over his shoulder as he reached for the phone. "Your dime, my time."

Tom chuckled. "Hey Babe, it's me again."

He grinned as he went back over to the stove. "Couldn't get enough of me, huh? I'd love to say I can play, but right now I'm making dinner for me and your friend."

"Oh, I see how it is...he's my friend when something's up and our friend when things are fine...I see how you are."

Jason chuckled softly. "Yeah well, considering I'm wearing sweatpants and a shirt around my apartment, then yes, he's your friend right now." He grinned as he flipped the chicken, then put it back in the oven. "So what are you wearing?"

"What am I wearing? Umm...actually I'm wearing a dark blue towel tucked loosely around my hips. It's catching the little trickles of water that are still running down my chest," he said alluringly, playing along with his longtime lover.

"That is so not fair. I'd be more than happy to catch any of those last trickles of water for you. Only I wouldn't be using a towel, I'd use my tongue." He chuckled softly. "So did you call just to get me all hot and bothered which would end up with me burning dinner?"

"No," he chuckled. "I needed to ask your professional opinion about something...Kyle."

Jason turned the heat down a bit under the rice and set the cover on it. "Okay, well, you're going to have to tell me a bit about him before I can really answer anything."

"Okay well, I'll try to tell you what I know. Oh by the way, do you remember a camp-out we went on a long time ago where the Red Ranger ended up taking a Boy Scout to the hospital after being bitten by a snake?"

He was quiet for a few moments, and then it hit him. "Yeah, it was shortly before you lost the Green powers because of that candle, why?"

"Hang onto the counter Jase...that Boy Scout was my TA, Kyle. Can you believe that?"

"Holy shit! You're kidding me! I knew that he'd survived the bite, but had developed some problems. Lost track after they moved." He ran a hand through his hair. "So, I'm guessing that's part of his problem now? Stuff that happened because of him getting bit?"

"Yep. From what I understand, he's pretty much permanently anemic now. He was so tired when we got to my place that I almost had to carry him into the house. He has no energy at all today. He had an appointment with his doctor this afternoon and he said that Kyle's body isn't producing red blood cells fast enough. He's going to have to try some pretty aggressive treatment if things don't improve. Do you think there's anything that would help the boy? He's gonna be staying with me for the week so I can keep an eye on him."

The other man was quiet for a moment. "Increasing his iron might help a bit along with upping his protein. Stuff like red meat, leafy greens and even a few of your protein shakes will help. Don't let him have a lot of caffeine. A couple cups of coffee a day should be the max for him." He sighed. "It's something that's going to take time, Tom. That was almost 14 years ago. The kid's body has been through hell during that time. This kind of stuff, it puts strain on a lot of things, including his heart so some exercise is good for him. Maybe not right now, but once he has more energy."

"That reminds me-he wants to learn martial arts. I told him that we'd teach him if he was serious about it. He's worried about me hurting myself, though."

"It's something we can do, but talk to his doctor first." He was quiet. "And if it's something that you feel you can do, then maybe you teaching him would be good for both of you. You won't be able to push it with him, but it'd still keep you moving. Just don't try to carry him, Falcon. I don't want you to risk hurting yourself."

"I'll tell you like I told him-as long as I've been teaching martial arts, I think I can handle one beginner student without injuring myself. And carrying him...Jase, you haven't seen him. He weighs a buck and a quarter, if that."

He sighed. "I'll ask a few people I know. See if there's something that he might be able to try. For now, I'd say try the diet changes, as long as it still meets his needs and let him rest as much as possible. If he still looks really weak to you, then call his doctor again. A plasma infusion might give him a temporary jump start, but it's got problems of its own."

"Alright. So, is Froggy doing okay? He sounded a bit rough earlier, but that might have just been his voice."

"He's been fighting a headache most of the day, but he's kept down everything he's eaten. Granted, he's not eating a lot, but I'm slowly building him back up. Think his voice was sounding rough because of all the puking he did yesterday."

"No doubt. I hope he's feeling better by the weekend-I'd hate for us to have to cancel his party. I'm coming down either way, but I think the get-together would do him good."

"Rocky and I were talking about that yesterday. We're going to give him until Thursday. If he's at least feeling better, but his energy is still down, then we're still going to have it. Definitely agree with you that it would do him some good right now."

"And I'm very excited about seeing you again...it's been too long," he said in a smoky-toned voice.

"I know and this afternoon was just a warm up." He grinned. "So you're walking around in a towel with your TA in the house? Trying to give the boy a heart attack, Falcon? Because if you scare him like that, I might just have to punish you when I see you."

"Promises, promises...and he's asleep on the couch, anyway."

"Just don't let him sleep there all night. That couch is comfortable for a few hours, but after that, not so much. Besides, he needs to be in a bed." He grinned. "And I plan on making good use of my bed Friday night when I drive you wild."

Tommy leaned back against the counter, crossing his free arm across his stomach. "I'm looking forward to it...did you ever get the headboard fixed from last time?" he kidded.

Jason snorted. "All that happened was we pulled it off the frame. Wasn't that hard to fix." The timer went off on the stove. "Hey Tommy, much as I'd love to continue this," He turned the timer off and removed the chicken from the oven. "I need to get Adam up and feed him. Plus I want to check him over again."

"Okay, I know you're busy. Take good care of Adam for me and I'll talk to you again before Friday. Take care of yourself too, okay?

"I will. You can call me tomorrow around lunch time if you want. I'll be free at the dojo." He smiled. "Just might not be able to have the same opportunity to relieve some tension as we did today." He paused. "Love you, Tom."

Tommy closed his eyes for a minute and drew a deep breath. "I love you too, Jase...always have. Talk to you tomorrow," he said softly, holding the receiver very close to his lips as if he could make Jason feel his breath through the phone line.

"Talk to you then, good night." Sighing softly, Jason hung up. Sometimes he wished that he could still teleport or that he didn't care so much what his father thought. Because some nights, he just wanted to wrap Tommy in his arms and hold onto him for as long as he could.

Remaining right where he was, Tommy hung up his phone and just stood there, thinking. There were so many things about life that weren't fair and he could compile quite a list at the moment, but normally he tried not to dwell on it. Eventually he turned and, lost in thought, stared out the window that was over the sink.

Kyle stretched slightly on the couch, and then got slowly to his feet. He was thirsty and figured he'd get a drink before attempting the stairs. Slowly, he made his way into the kitchen, yawning as he rubbed his eyes. Abruptly, he came to a stop, rubbed his eyes some more, then looked again.

Frowning slightly, he walked forward, wondering if the image of his mentor, standing at the sink in nothing but a towel was part of a vivid dream that he was having. The sculpted back begged to be touched and the trim waist tapered wonderfully into the towel. A toned thigh peeked out from the too-short overlap and had him licking his suddenly dry lips. Making his way over to the image, he stuck a finger out and poked it. His head cocked to the side as he felt warm skin beneath his finger and poked it again just to be sure.

Brought back to the here and now by a probing finger in his side, Tommy turned and looked down slightly into Kyle's obviously sleepy eyes. He then turned around to face the young man, saying, "Kyle...what are you doing?"

The blonde looked up into his mentor's eyes, then reached out and poked him in the chest. "Damn, guess this ain't a dream." He sighed. "You know, this just ain't right. No way should someone that looks like you still be single. Cause if I didn't see you as a brother, I'd definitely be willing to have you claim me."

Both of Tommy's eyebrows shot up and he cocked his head sideways. He tried to think of something to say, but was utterly dumbstruck by his teaching assistant's proclamation.

Kyle shrugged. "You've got a great body, Tommy. I'm not blind to that. Even during my senior year I recognized that. When I started assisting you at the beginning of the school year, there were several nights that I had to go home to a cold shower."

The blush started at Tommy's hairline and stopped at about the mid-point of his chest. The chuckle that escaped him was low and a bit nervous-sounding. "I-I don't know what to say, Kyle. I guess thank you, for starters." He was still fumbling around for what to say-Kyle had completely caught him off guard.

He grinned at him. "Not what you were expecting me to say, huh?"

"I would say that's a fair statement-no, I wasn't expecting that. And as for me being single, well...that's just the way things have worked out so far. I'm okay," he said, knowing that he really wasn't being completely honest.

"Uh huh." He grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it from the tap. He took a long, slow drink, almost draining the glass and then refilled it.

Tommy moved away from the sink a couple of steps and folded his arms across his chest. "I take it you don't believe me."

"Not particularly." He took another drink, and then leaned against the sink, facing his friend. "When Adam was up here, I watched you two in the store at the mall for a few minutes before I walked over. You were more relaxed... happy even. Around Hayley, you're okay, but not like you were that day. Then seeing you two in the bed," He shook his head. "You're far from happy being single."

"I was happy to be spending time with my old friend-that doesn't mean I'm normally miserable. Besides...there's someone I see on a regular basis, if you must know."

He nodded. "So does that mean you're bi? Or are you gay?"

"What makes you ask that? I didn't say who I'd been seeing. You didn't hear something at school, did you?" Tommy asked, suddenly worried about his job.

Kyle sighed. "Will you relax a bit? Remember, I'm really good at noticing things. And no, I haven't heard anything at school. It's the small things." He raised an eyebrow as some things fell into place. "It's this Jase person, isn't it?"

Tom sighed and looked away for a minute, then turned back to Kyle. "I'm not really...I shouldn't...damn..." he muttered. "What gives you that idea?"

He chuckled softly. "One, your reaction right now. Two, it's the way your eyes get after you've talked to him. Plus, I remember a Monday that you came in looking thoroughly sated after he'd been up. Add it all up," he shrugged. "Honestly, I don't think anyone would really suspect anything unless they knew what to look for, both from you and from people in a same-sex relationship."

Tommy lowered his head and thought for a moment. _'I can keep on denying things until I'm blue in the face-Kyle's just too perceptive. But can I trust him?'_

Shaking his head, the blonde finished off his water, then rinsed the glass and put it on the side of the sink. "You know, if I wanted to blab a person's secrets, sexual orientation and who you're seeing would be the smallest ones that I could tell." He started towards the living room to get his bag.

"I'm sorry Kyle...I guess I've just never been real open about stuff like this. Let me put some clothes on and we'll talk, okay?" Tommy offered.

He didn't turn around, but nodded. "Fine." Moving over to the bag with his meds in it, he looked at his watch and started sorting a few out.

"Be right back," Tom called after him and then climbed the stairs to his bedroom. As he walked, he thought. _'You know, it would be kinda nice to have someone to open up to. Someone who hasn't known me for years and might have a fresh perspective. And Kyle is trustworthy, I know that.'_

Once he'd pulled on his sleep pants and a t-shirt, he started toward the bedroom door. As he glanced at his dresser, he spotted the framed picture of him and Jason that sat there. _'May as well give him a visual,'_ he thought and picked up the frame.

Kyle took his last round of meds with a glass of juice, and then slipped off to the bathroom to change. When he was done, he leaned against the sink and sighed_. 'I shouldn't have said anything. Should have just stayed at the house, worked on my paper and gone to bed. Stupid, Kyle!'_ For a few minutes, the blonde just stood there and then he finished what needed to be done for the night and went back out to the living room to wait for his friend.

Walking back into the living room a few minutes later, he found Kyle sitting back on the couch. He took a seat near him and put the picture face down on the table. "So, where to start?"

The younger man looked up at him. "Look, you don't have to tell me anything. Tomorrow just drop me off at the house after school. No big deal. I didn't mean to pry."

"No Kyle...it's okay. I was thinking about it and, well...it'd be nice to have someone to talk to about stuff. And either way, I'm not dropping you off at home and leaving you there. I promised Chris that I'd watch after you for the week and that's what I'm gonna do."

Kyle was quiet and drew his legs up, huddling into a corner of the couch. "Just don't want to be a burden. I know I'm a friend, but you shouldn't have to worry about me."

"I don't mind at all, really. Like I said, it's nice to have someone else here for a change. And you're not a burden-don't say that."

"Give me time, you'll probably change your mind about that." He sighed, then nodded towards the picture frame. "So you planning on redecorating or something?"

"No, just thought I'd give you a visual reference...in a minute. First I want to answer one of your questions," he said and then took a steadying breath. "As far as my orientation goes, I'm bi-have been since high school. I've dated girls on and off, but the only serious relationship I've ever had was with someone very special to me. And actually, I shouldn't be talking about it in the past tense because it's still going on. We're not together on a permanent basis because of some issues with his family, but so far, he's the only one that I can truly say that I love."

Kyle nodded, but kept silent. He was letting the other man go about this at his own pace, especially since he could very easily have just hit him and been done with it.

"And you were right about something else...it is Jase. In addition to being best friends, we've been together as lovers for years now-like I said, since high school." He reached over and picked up the frame and turned it so that the young man could see the photo. "This is Jase. The picture was taken at his birthday party last year." The picture was of Tommy and Jason, arms around each other's waists, standing in what looked to be the lobby of a very nice hotel. Both were dressed up a bit, like they'd been out to an expensive restaurant to celebrate.

Kyle stared at the picture for a few moments, and then something seemed to click at the back of his mind. _'Holy shit. I was right. Damn, I can't tell him or I'm liable to end up disappearing. Yeah, look where your powers of observation have gotten you now, Sorensen.'_ Shaking his head, the younger man sighed. "Damn, but that man has a fine ass."

Tommy grinned and looked at the picture. "Yeah...as a matter of fact, he does! And a lot of other fine attributes as well," he chuckled.

"I'll take your word for that. Although," He took another look at the picture, then remembered some of the pictures he'd seen of the first rangers in spandex. "He looks like he'd be thicker than he is long."

"Think so, huh?" he grinned again. "I'm not tellin'. Anyway, the important thing is that he's the one that I've been seeing all this time. So see? I'm not alone."

"Maybe not, but technically he's not here all the time, even if you're thinking about him a lot." He was quiet for a moment. "Have a blanket I can borrow? Only have a couple sweatshirts and I didn't grab one out of my bag."

"Oh yeah, sure-I'll go get one. Need another pillow too?" Tom asked as he got up to retrieve the things from the closet.

"Maybe, but I think I'll try to get up the stairs. Your couch is comfortable, but it's a little cool for me down here." He watched the other man for a moment, then grinned wickedly. "So you gonna get some when you go to Angel Grove on Friday?"

Tommy turned back and winked at him. "You better know it..." he laughed. "Come on, I'll help you up the steps. It's time for me to hit the hay anyway."

Rolling his eyes, the blonde got slowly to his feet. His last meds always seemed to make him cold, so he tucked his hands under his arms and joined his mentor. "What time do we have to leave in the morning?" He was starting to shiver slightly and looked forward to crawling under the covers.

"I usually leave at 7:15-gives me plenty of time to get there. Are you that cold?"

Kyle snorted softly. "Yeah, it's a side effect of the combination of meds I take at night, but I can't take them during the day because they can make me tired."

"There should be enough cover on the bed, but I'll check it to make sure. I've got extras in the linen closet," Tom said, walking into the guest bedroom and pulling the comforter back on the bed. "Does that look like enough?"

"With the extra blanket I asked for earlier, yeah, it should be. Been awhile since I've slept anywhere except home or Chris'." He crawled into the bed and drew the covers up tight around himself. "Thanks Tommy."

Smiling down at the young man, Tom tucked him in a bit more after adding another blanket to the bed. "You're welcome. Need anything else?"

"No, but thank you." He yawned. "If I do get cold later, where are your extra blankets?"

"The closet right across the hall," he replied and pointed toward the door. "I'll turn the heat up a little too. Come get me if you need me, okay?"

The blonde nodded, already starting to drift off to sleep. He sighed softly and gave in.

Tommy walked out and closed the door softly_. 'He's a good kid,_' he thought as he made his way to his own bedroom. Putting the photo frame down on the nightstand, he crawled under the covers and turned to gaze at it for a few minutes. As he reached over to turn the lamp off, he said quietly, "Good night, Jase."

-o-O-o-

Wednesday

Sunlight entering the room woke Kyle the next morning. He yawned as he stretched lightly, and then remembered where he was. For several moments, he just laid there, not wanting to leave the warm bed.

Softly knocking on the door, Tommy opened it slightly. "Kyle? Are you awake? Breakfast is ready."

He turned towards the door. "Yeah, I'm awake." He grinned. "Don't really want to get out of bed, but I'm awake. Give me a few minutes and I'll be down."

"Alright, don't take too long though-we need to leave in about half an hour."

"It's 6:30?" He scrambled out of bed. "Holy crap. Yeah, I'll be down in a minute."

Chuckling, Tommy replied, "Haven't seen you move that fast in a while. Man, I need some coffee." Heading down to the kitchen, he poured himself a steaming cup and sat down to eat.

Kyle made his way to the bathroom and quickly took care of the morning necessities, then got changed. Less than 10 minutes later, he was on his way downstairs, running a hand through his damp locks. "Haven't slept past 5:30 in a while." He walked over to the cabinet and got a glass out, then filled it with juice.

"Did you sleep okay?" Tommy asked over his glasses, coffee mug still in hand.

The blonde took a long drink, and then nodded. "Yeah, better than I have in a while." He took a seat at the table. "Tomorrow, I'll make breakfast for us."

"Alright, you got yourself a deal. For now though, eat your eggs and bacon so that we can get to school. I don't wanna hear Randall's mouth if we're both late," he grinned.

"She just needs to get laid." Grinning, he started eating. When they were both done, he took the plates to the sink and rinsed them off. Once finished, he went to the bag with his meds and opened a few of the bottles, then sighed as he started measuring out doses.

Tommy watched silently for a minute, but finally had to say something. "Wow, you sure do take a lot of pills, don'tcha? Wish there was something I could do to help." _'I guess I need to quit whining about the two or three doses I take daily.'_

"Yeah, the Penicillin I have to take twice a day and it is two pills each time-makes about 1000mg. Then I've got stuff that's supposed to help with my appetite because the Penicillin can suppress it. Add to that a couple that are supposed to help with my bone marrow and red blood cell production." He looked over at him and shrugged. "Get used to it after a bit, but I don't like it." He recapped the bottles and took the meds with the last of his juice.

"Guess we better get ready to head out. Don't let me forget anything, okay?" he grinned at Kyle and then headed upstairs quickly to grab a few things.

He snorted, but shook his head as he went over and put his shoes on before grabbing his own bag.

-o-O-o-

Adam was sitting on the couch, staring in the direction of the TV, but not really paying it any attention. Sighing, he looked over at Jason who was busy preparing lunch in the kitchen. "Ummm, Jase?"

The paramedic looked over at his friend. "What's up, bro?"

"Well, remember you said something about letting me see that file that you have on Tommy? Still gonna do that?"

"Yeah, I just have to grab it from my room. I've got it stashed in the closet." He was kind of hoping his friend would forget about the file.

"Okay, well...I'd still like to see it, even though I know..." he trailed off. Adam was sure that the contents were going to upset him, but he felt this need to know what all was going on with Tommy. Why now, he wasn't sure.

"All right. Give me a second." He turned down the heat on the soup after sliding the last grilled cheese onto the plate. Wiping his hands, he went to his room. When he went into his closet, Jason pulled a box down and opened it. His hand shook slightly as he pulled the manila folder out. After putting the box back, he took a deep breath and walked to the living room. "If you have any questions after you read it, feel free to ask me." Jason held the folder out to his friend.

Adam reached out and took hold of the medical file, thinking how thick it was. "Wow, lots of stuff in here, huh?" he asked, looking at Tommy's name written on the cover in Jason's handwriting. He rubbed his hand over it a couple of times, waiting for the spirit to move him to open it.

"Considering that there's stuff in there from his days as the Green and White Rangers, plus Zeo and Turbo. Then you add in the stuff from the crash, plus Hayley's scans and everything since the wreck..." He nodded. "Makes a lot."

"Yeah, I guess so," he said, carefully opening the cover. Some of the first things he came across were scans done by Alpha on the then Green Ranger. "Wow, detailed stuff."

The first Red Ranger nodded. "Yeah. With Zordon having to charge Tommy's power coin, it started bothering him. So they kept a close eye on him."

Adam looked up and nodded, but then kept reading through the various reports. "So, he had some problems with the White Ranger powers too, huh? I never knew..." he said and then trailed off while he kept reading. "Was it because the White powers were created? They were sorta synthetic?"

"Zordon thought that it was because of how long he'd been sustained with energy directly from the morphing grid when his green powers were failing. Even though there was a gap between him finally losing the green powers and getting the white, it wasn't long enough for everything to settle down. Things improved a bit for him when he got the Ninjetti powers, but they still tired him a bit more than normal."

Continuing to page through medical reports, charts, and graphs that covered Tommy's time as a Zeo and Turbo ranger, he kept looking until a few newspaper clippings shifted and nearly fell to the floor. Grabbing them carefully, he opened them and gasped.

Jason closed his eyes, and then made his way back into the kitchen to finish up their lunch. He knew what had almost fallen out.

Staring with wide eyes, Adam took in the sight before him. The pictures were of Tommy's wrecked race car, presumably after they'd cut him free. It was a mangled mess of metal-how someone got out alive was a mystery. He slowly began reading the report of what happened and what the newspaper thought were Tommy's injuries. Then he came across the actual hospital records. As he went down the list, his eyes got bigger and his mouth opened a little. "Jase..." he simply said, looking up for some kind of support from his friend.

Jason brought the tray out with their lunch and set it down on the table, then took a seat beside the former Black Ranger. Sliding a bit closer, he put his arm around the other man. "I told you Adam, it was a bad wreck."

"Yeah, I know you told me, but...my god...he nearly died. How many times did you say the paramedics almost lost him?"

"Twice on the way to the hospital. If the doctors did once they started working on him, they didn't tell me. John, his uncle, had to put me on the list as an approved visitor after he got to the hospital. So all of the first info they gave went to him and I'm pretty sure he filtered some of the stuff out when he talked to me."

"How long was he out after surgery?"

"They kept him out for a few days, giving things a chance to start healing. He wasn't totally with it for about a week."

"Wow, that had to be hard on you. How'd you deal with it?"

He shook his head. "I didn't. Not then and for a couple of months afterwards." He sighed. "Remember shortly after Tommy and I started school, how I started losing weight?"

"Hmmm, yeah...I think so. I guess I just attributed it to having to cook for yourself," Adam answered.

"No, it wasn't that. I was having a lot of trouble sleeping. Started having nightmares. Some were about the wreck. Most of them were about stuff that happened to us as Rangers. Him fighting me in the Dark Dimension, when he got the Sword of Power and gave it to Robogoat. Stuff like that. Not to mention having to fight him in Gasket's arena. It took me a while, but I finally started talking to someone about it. Helped a lot."

"What about Tommy? How did it affect him? Mentally, I mean."

"He had nightmares about it. Still does sometimes. Took him a few months to get behind the wheel of a car again without breaking out in a cold sweat."

Adam glanced down at the papers in his hands and was struck with a question. "You said that he lost his sight for a little while, right?"

"Yeah, which is why he wears glasses sometimes."

Adam stopped and looked away for a few moments. He could tell that Jason was uncomfortable talking about this, but the former green Zeo ranger wasn't feeling real sympathetic at the moment. Turning back toward his friend, he cocked his head a little. "So...why on God's green earth didn't you tell anyone what was going on? Didn't we deserve to know? Tommy is our friend too, after all! You could've used the help, it sounds like!"

Sighing softly, Jason bowed his head slightly. It was something he'd argued with Tommy about for days at the time, but in the end he'd let the other man have his way. "Because he was scared Adam. I argued with him for days about telling you guys. In the end, he pretty much blackmailed me into not calling anyone."

"Blackmailed you? Oh, come on Jase. What could he possibly hold over your head? He was confined to a hospital bed!"

"Having my name removed from the visitor's list? And he could have done it." He stood up. "So what would you have me do, Adam? Huh? Call all of you guys, against his wishes and have him bar me from seeing him? Leave him there all alone? I'm sorry if you're upset about it, but there was no fucking way that I was going to leave him alone." He looked at his watch. "I've got to go." Turning he started down the hall to get his bag, the memories of that argument with Tommy running through his head.

Raising his voice so that Jason couldn't help but hear him, he said, "You can get mad at me all you want. And don't think I won't have this out with Tommy too, when I talk to him again. Friends support each other, they take care of each other...it's not fair that we were shut out and kept in the dark." He paused and thought for a moment. "And even after he was better, you guys didn't see fit to tell us even then! Making up excuses for his eyesight and the scars on his body...kinda makes me wonder what else you guys are hiding!" Getting up from the table and taking the file with him, Adam stomped off to the guest room and slammed the door.

Bag in hand the former Gold Ranger stopped in front of the guest room. He was tempted to continue the argument with Adam, but stopped himself from opening the door. "Rocky..." He had to pause and collect his emotions. "Rocky will be here in about 20 minutes. Try to eat something Adam." He left, locking the door behind him. When he got to his SUV and slid behind the wheel, his knuckles turned white as he gripped it. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes and tried to fight down the tears that had been threatening to fall since getting the file. It was a losing battle.

Sitting on the bed, staring at the manila folder in front of him, Adam felt like he wanted to break something. "I can't believe my supposed best friends would be so cagey. We're supposed to be like brothers-we fought together, put our lives on the line for each other...I was Tommy's second for a long time...how could they shut me out like this?"

Taking a deep breath, Jason was finally able to get the SUV started and headed for the dojo. Once there, he barely nodded at Rocky as he headed into the locker room to change.

"Hey Ja...Jase," Rocky said, starting to wave but only getting halfway through it before the door closed between then. "Okaaaaaay...wonder what's going on there?" He stepped back into the office to grab his things, wondering if he should go try to talk to his friend.

Changing quickly, Jason went out to the mats and wasted no time in beginning to pound on the heavy bag.

Rocky had seen moods like this before and he knew that he wasn't going to get any answers out of the man right now. 'Maybe Adam knows what the hell,' he thought as he started toward the door. When Jason stopped to take a breath and get a drink of water, Rocky quickly said, "Jase, I'm heading over to stay with Adam. You gonna be okay, bro? Anything I can do?"

The paramedic looked over at him. He knew that his eyes were red, but there was nothing he could do about it. "Make sure Adam eats something." His voice was flat and rough as he spoke. Taking another drink, he tossed the bottle aside when he realized his hands were still shaking and went back to the bag.

"You got it, man-food, I can do. Call me if you need anything, otherwise I'll see you later." Heading out to his car, the former Red Ranger continued to wonder what had upset his old friend_. 'Jase doesn't get rattled that easy-must've been something horrible at work or something with...Tommy,_' he thought and a cold feeling started in the pit of his stomach_. 'But he'd have told me if it was Tom-he's my friend too.'_ He resolved to talk to Adam about it when he reached the apartment and go from there. If he had to make a call to Reefside, then he'd do it.


	6. Foundations of Healing

**Misery Loves Company**

**by**

**A Warrior's Prophet**

**Disclaimer:**We don't own Power Rangers or any characters that you might recognize. Kyle is based on a real person who has given us their permission to use his name and likeness.

Chp 6 - Foundations of Healing

Once Jason knew he was alone, he grabbed his water and towel, then went into the office. He had an hour before the next students began to arrive and he needed to be in control of himself again by that time. Taking a seat, he put his head in his hands and let the tears he'd held back begin to fall in silence.

In his room, Adam continued to stare blankly and page through the medical file in front of him. _'God...poor Tommy. He's been through so much in life already and now look at what he's dealing with.'_ After several minutes though, the former Zeo ranger reverted back to anger. "But you could've let me know what was going on with you!" he yelled, knowing no one could hear him. "How dare you block me out like that!" A stray tear made its way down his handsome face. "I'm your friend too, damn it!"

Turning the key in the lock, Rocky walked into Jason's apartment rather cautiously. "Hello? Adam?" he called and getting no response, he walked toward the bedrooms. "Adam? I know you're here...you asleep?"

The former black ranger rolled his eyes. He knew that Rocky would come in to check. Looking at the door he sighed. "No, I'm not asleep." His words came out slightly clipped, unable to keep his anger at his friends out of his voice.

Having grown up with the man, Rocky knew all was not well. Leaning into the door, he asked, "Umm, are you okay? Cause Jase is all torn outta the frame about somethin'."

"Just come in, Rock." He moved up the bed a bit and rested back against the headboard.

Slowly entering the dimly lit room, Rocky walked over and took a seat on the bed, waiting for his eyes to adjust. He did notice the thick file sitting beside his friend, though. "Whatcha got there?"

"You mean Jason didn't tell you?" He snorted. "Oh, wait. He's good at not telling people things, so I'm guessing that answer is 'No'." He slid the file towards Rocky. "They lied to us, Rocky."

"Lied to us? About what?" he said with a surprised look. Beginning to turn the pages, he could see that the file was full of reports and charts, but he couldn't readily tell what it was about. "Mind if I turn on some light?"

"Do you really have to? Head's kinda hurting again." Getting so mad at Jason hadn't helped the headache he'd been trying to fight.

"Well no, but I'll have to go out in the other room if you want me to know what this is. What happened with Jason, anyway? And what did you mean by 'he's good at not telling people things'?"

Sighing softly, the former Frog reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, wincing slightly at the increase in light. "Did he ever tell you about the wreck Tommy had? The one before they joined us at school?"

Thinking for a moment, Rocky nodded. "Well, I knew that he'd had a wreck that made him rethink a racing career-that's why he started college instead. I never got many details on it though. I suppose I figured that there wasn't anything much to tell," Rocky said with a shrug.

"Tommy died on them twice on the way to the hospital. Then he was blind for a bit afterwards."

Rocky's mouth involuntarily fell open as he stared in shock at his best friend. "He...died? Are you serious, Adam?"

"Jason told me the night I came back from Reefside. He told me that he had a file that listed all of Tommy's injuries." He gestured towards the file his friend held. "Gave me that earlier."

Rocky began going through it, quickly bypassing the older ranger stuff. He stopped in his tracks when he reached the newspaper clippings of the wreck. "Oh my god..." he said quietly and began reading about the accident that nearly took their friend from them.

"They kept it from us Rocky. I don't think Jason would ever have told me about it if I hadn't confronted him after finding one of Tommy's scars from the accident."

"You 'found' one of T's scars? Where? How bad is it?"

"Along his side. It's hidden by one of his tattoos. It's about four, maybe six inches long and kind of jagged. Jase told me that a piece of the metal from the car impaled him there. Had to stop the race and use the Jaws of Life to cut him out."

"You said he was blind for a little while afterwards? And they didn't tell us this _why_?" He was beginning to understand why Adam was so upset.

"See? Glad I'm not the only one." He threw his hands up in the air. "Jason gave me some crackpot story that Tommy asked him not to. That he'd threatened to take him off his visitor's list if Jase contacted any of us."

"And why would Tommy want to be left all alone? Especially if he was blind-that doesn't make any sense. Where was his Uncle John or his parents?"

Adam blushed slightly and shrugged. "I kinda went off on Jason at that point."

Rocky nodded. "So that's what his issue was. Anytime he comes in and goes directly to attacking the heavy bag, I know somethin's up." He stopped and thought for a minute. "Come to think of it, his eyes were awfully red and his hands were shaking. You must have laid into him good, Froggy."

The former Ninjetti's blush deepened. "Did you know that Jason was originally going to be a cop?"

"Yeah, I remember him telling us about that." The light dawned slowly on the former blue Zeo ranger. "Was Tommy's accident what changed his mind?"

He nodded. "Jason was riding in the ambulance with Tommy. He said that he felt helpless just sitting there unable to do anything for his best friend."

"Can understand that. Wow...I still can't believe they kept all this to themselves. I know they were best friends before you and I ever entered the picture, but you'd think they'd trust us enough to tell us something this important."

Adam sighed. "I don't know. The first time Jase told me he got upset really quickly, almost to the point of crying." He met his best friend's eyes. "I've never seen him like that Rocky. I mean, if it was you and you had asked me to keep something like this secret..." He shrugged. "Can't say what I'd really do, but I'd give what you wanted a hard thought."

"Okay, fair enough, but did Jason mention Tommy's reasons for not wanting anyone else to know? Tommy is a strange bird sometimes-maybe he had a good reason. Maybe..."

He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe what?"

"I don't know-I can't fathom what goes on in that mind of his. To him, maybe he had a good reason. You haven't asked him about this yet, have you?"

"No, honestly I'm not real sure how to approach him about it. I mean, if you confront him head on about some things, he shuts up totally."

Rocky nodded. "So how did you find his scar? If he'd show you that, he might tell you about it."

Dropping his head slightly, Adam blushed. "I was giving him a massage and felt it. His muscles were really tight and when I helped him up to bed, I worked on them a bit. Came across it then."

"Oh, okay," Rocky said simply and then sighed. "All of this is making my head hurt. Want something to eat?"

"Probably need to. Might help my head."

"Oh yeah, no doubt. Come on, we can talk some more while I cook. Whatcha want?" he asked, getting up from the bed and heading for the door.

Slowly, he got up and followed his friend. "Nothing heavy. Jase made some soup and grilled cheese for us before he left, but neither of us ate."

"No problem-we can warm that up, but I need more food than that," he grinned.

"Yeah well, that's just you, Ape Man." He took a seat at the counter, knowing better than to get in the former Red Ranger's way. "How about some of that tea Jase has too?"

"Tea, tea..." Rocky mumbled, rooting around in the cabinets. "This it?" he asked, holding up the box.

"Actually, it's in that blue tin. He puts it in that ball thing and adds it to the cup."

"Oh, it's loose tea...okay," he said, getting the stuff together and putting the kettle on.

"Yeah, it's some blend he found or was given. Helps settle my stomach."

"Good ol' herbal tea-cures what ails ya. It'll be ready in a few minutes. So, will grilled cheese and soup be enough for you?"

"Can I just go for the soup? Arguing with Jase like that and reading that file..." He shook his head. "Kinda killed my appetite."

"Hey, I have to give you props for even arguing with the man-especially in your condition. Takes some serious cajones."

"Wasn't really thinking about it. I mean, we've been friends with Tommy almost as long as Jason has. I know why they're so close, but still…they could have trusted us."

Nodding while he worked, Rocky agreed. "Yep, you're right."

Adam was quiet for a few moments. "The first time we talked about it, Jason told me that Tommy didn't want us told because he knew we'd all be up there hovering."

"Well...he was probably right. I mean, could we really have stayed away? Even if we knew he didn't want a bunch of people around?"

"No, but they still should have told us sooner. I mean, that happened years ago and we're just finding out about it now?"

"I agree with you, I really do, but...think about it this way-I'm sure it was extremely rough on both of them, right?"

"Right."

"Okay, so...I'm sure after they got most of that behind them...they really didn't wanna dig it up again, ya know?" Rocky asked, tilting his head with the question.

When Adam just looked at him, Rocky continued. "Telling everyone would bring up lots of questions and it would no doubt make Tommy uncomfortable, so...after a little while, they just decided not to bring it up. Maybe...ya think?"

For several moments, Adam was quiet, then he sighed softly. "Guess you're right. Just reading about what all had happened to him in the accident, plus all the scans from his time as a ranger," he shrugged. "Guess it just got to me, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know. You should talk to him about it, too. As a matter of fact, why don't you call him this afternoon?"

"Maybe. After I eat something though. Might help my head stop hurting."

"Okay, let's eat and I'll get you something for your head." He paused when the kettle whistled and turned to make his friend's tea. "You know something else?"

"What's that?"

"It might make you feel better if you called and talked to Jase for a couple of minutes."

"Think I'll do that before I eat." Getting up, he grabbed the cordless and headed to the guest bedroom while he dialed the number to the dojo. Taking a seat on the bed, he waited for it to be answered.

"Black Dragon Martial Arts, Sensei Scott speaking."

"Hey Jase." Adam sighed softly. "I'm sorry about earlier."

Jason didn't say anything for a few moments-he had just gotten himself back together and didn't want to get upset all over again. "Adam," he sighed. "I'm sorry too-I shouldn't have stormed out on you like that."

"I didn't give you a lot of choice after going into the room and slamming the door." He was quiet for a moment. The former Frog knew that he'd upset the other man by making him relive the experience. "I'm sorry about upsetting you, Rex. Just wanted a better understanding of everything that was going on with Tommy, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. After all these years, you'd think it wouldn't upset me like that, but...it still does. Got these pictures in my head that just won't go away, ya know?"

"Yeah, after reading the file I understand it a bit better. Talking to Rocky helped me see where you two might be coming from about keeping this from the rest of us."

"Rocky was the voice of reason? Oh boy..."

He chuckled softly. "Tell me about it. There are times that he down right scares me with that stuff." Closing his eyes, he winced slightly and rubbed at the side of his head not knowing that he'd let out a slight groan.

"Here, take these...and stop talking about me like I'm not here," Rocky said, handing Adam two tablets.

Hearing this through the phone, Jason asked, "What's bothering you, Froggy? Another headache?"

Taking them from his friend, he downed them with a bit of water from the glass next to the bed. "Thanks Rocky." Turning back to the phone, he sighed softly. "Yeah, it started shortly after you left. Just took a couple Tylenol."

"Did you eat yet?" Jason asked in that slightly accusatory tone that he sometimes adopted.

"Rocky's taking care of it, I promise. Soon as I get done talking with you, we're gonna eat."

"Alright, see that you do. Listen, I gotta go...the class is coming in. I'll talk to you when I get home, okay?"

"Okay. And Jason? Thanks for letting me see it. I know it's hard for you, too."

"Yeah, well...you're welcome. See you in a bit," Jason said, hanging up the phone and taking a deep breath. He needed to get all this off his mind so that he could teach the class.

Hanging up, Adam looked up at Rocky. "Thanks Ape Man."

"No problem-now come on and eat. It'll help with the headache," he said, turning and heading back toward the kitchen.

Once again, Adam got up and followed his friend into the kitchen. He re-took his seat at the counter, then raised an eyebrow at the stuff Rocky had put together for himself. "Are you serious, Rocko?"

Rocky looked down at his plate and then back up at his friend. "What?"

"Bologna and eggs?"

"Yeah. Like you've never eaten lunch meat and eggs together," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Ham, yeah, but not bologna." He shuddered. "That's like eating Spam." He started on his soup.

"Hey! I happen to like Spam," he said, starting to work on his food. After several mouthfuls, he looked up at Adam again. "What's wrong with Spam, anyway?"

The former Green Zeo raised an eyebrow. "Besides the fact that it comes encased in a gelatin-type substance and has a shelf life of almost 5 years?"

"Yeah, besides that," Rocky grinned and went back to shoveling food into his mouth.

Adam just shook his head and continued eating.

-o-O-o-

Once they'd finished eating and the former Red Ranger had cleaned up the kitchen, they settled down in the living room. "Head feeling any better? Can I get you anything?"

"It's a little better. The Tylenol and the tea plus having finally eaten something seems to be helping." He grinned slightly. "Could I convince you to make some Jello? And not lime."

Rocky grinned and got up from the couch. "Sure-let me see what Jase has hidden in here," he said, looking through kitchen drawers. "Here we go-orange, strawberry, and lemon. Which one ya want?"

"How about orange? I'd feel weird eating something that reminded me of our ranger colors." He chuckled slightly.

"Huh? Oh yeah..." he chuckled and then a wicked grin crossed his face. "Oh, I don't know...the lemon might be pretty good!"

He raised an eyebrow. "You and 'Sha finally getting somewhere?"

"You could say that," Rocky responded in a self-satisfied tone.

"It's about time. You two have been dancing around each other since middle school."

"Okay, I'll give ya that, but it just takes some of us longer. Tanya's still single, by the way. I'm jus' sayin'," he said, raising his hands innocently at the look Adam shot him.

He shook his head. "I already told ya, Rocko-need to take a break for a bit."

"Yeah, I know-sorry. I was just tryin' to get a smile out of ya," the former Red Ranger said, putting the Jello into the refrigerator. "By the way, Tommy's still not seeing anyone is he? Except for Jason, of course, and I don't know if that really counts."

"Um, not that I know of." He took another drink of tea.

"Speaking of our former fearless leader, his last class should've finished by now. Why don't you go ahead and call him?"

Adam looked over at the clock before he nodded. "Think I will. After I do that, I'm gonna take a nap." He got up and retrieved the cordless again.

While putting his papers and books back into his briefcase, Tommy looked up when the cell phone on his desk vibrated, moving several inches toward the edge. "Grab that, Kyle."

Nodding, he grabbed it and answered it. "Dr. Oliver's phone."

"Umm, can I speak to Tommy?" Adam responded, a bit surprised that anyone other than his friend would answer.

"Just a second." Kyle thought he recognized the voice. "Is this Adam?"

"Yeah...Kyle?"

"You got it. Tommy's packing up his briefcase." He snorted. "Then we're stopping at the store before going back to his place."

"Oh? You guys got plans, huh?"

"Not really. Chris, my doctor, kinda talked Tommy into letting me stay with him for a few days. My counts are still low and Dr. O's helping me with that." He rolled his eyes as Tommy patted his pockets looking for something. Pointing at the top of his head, Kyle directed him to his glasses.

"Well that's good. You can keep an eye on _him_ as well," Adam suggested. "So, is the good doctor close around?"

"Yeah, I try." He grinned at Tommy. "He just finished, Adam. Take it easy." He handed the phone to his mentor. "Want me to take this stuff and wait out in the jeep?"

Taking the phone, Tommy nodded. "Yeah, I'll be out in a few minutes," he said. "Adam?"

Nodding, Kyle took the briefcase and his own bag and started heading for the jeep. Once there, he set the bags in the back and got in, leaning the seat back and closing his eyes. He drifted off in a few moments.

"Yeah, it's me." Adam chuckled softly. "So, babysitting huh?"

"A little bit," Tom laughed. "The kid needs someone to look after him for a few days and he doesn't have any family left, so...here I am. So what's goin' on? How you feelin'?"

"Still get tired real easy and my stomach's a little rough still. Other than that," he sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to lie to his friend.

"Other than that...what?"

"I, uh... asked Jason for the file he has about your accident."

Closing his eyes and sighing, Tommy took a seat at his desk. "Oh? Don't think that's something you should be reading while you're trying to recover, do you?"

"I needed to understand better what's going on with you. Probably wasn't the smartest thing, but just sitting here and thinking about myself wasn't helping either."

After he quickly thought over what all might be in that file, Tommy sighed deeply again. "I'm guessing you have some questions, then."

"Jason answered a lot of them, but what I want to know is why you guys kept it from us. I can understand, a little at least, why you didn't say anything at first, but it's been years and we're just finding out about it now."

"I guess I should've known that this would come up sooner or later. Look...I couldn't face what had happened to me and I couldn't've dealt with people swarming all over me-well-meaning though they might've been. It's all I could do to deal with Jase. At first, I was really, really scared and I guess I clung to him a bit. Waking up blind was one of the worst things that had ever happened to me. After some of the shock wore off, even he started getting on my nerves. He knows all of this too."

"He mentioned that you started getting tired of his hovering and that Wes helped break up the tension a bit at times." He sighed and stretched out on the bed, having walked that way as he talked with his friend. "It just worries me we didn't know how bad things were and if you kept that from us…what else have you guys kept to yourselves? I mean, we're all supposed to be friends." He sighed again. "Guess I just feel like you didn't trust us enough or care enough to tell us until we forced it out of you." He was having a hard time keeping the hurt he felt out of his voice.

Hearing the emotion coming from the other man, Tommy propped his head up with one hand and closed his eyes again. "Adam...that's not it at all. You're one of my oldest and best friends...please don't think I didn't tell you because I didn't care about you. Even Jase and I didn't talk much about it once it was over. I just couldn't stand to relive that over and over. I kinda pushed it to the back of my mind and tried to concentrate on school-get on with my life, ya know?"

The former black Ninjetti was quiet for several moments, and then sighed softly. "Guess I understand. Just with everything that happened with Brooke, then connecting with you again and all of this…it's just a lot, you know? Guess I didn't realize what all Jason had in that folder." He'd even come across a report on the former Gold Ranger and some of the stuff he'd gone through after having the powers taken back by Trey.

"Yeah, I really wish he hadn't given you that damn file of his. I'm gonna have to talk to him about that. He should know better." Tommy paused and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. "Listen bro, I'm gonna see you again real soon and we'll sit down and talk about this, okay? Face to face would really be better."

"The blame's not all his, Falcon. I asked him for it when I first got back from your place." He was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, that'd be good. It'll be good to see you again. Any hint about when it'll be?" He could really use a face-to-face talk with his friend.

"Well, nothing's written in stone yet, but I'm working on making a weekend trip down to The Grove-probably next weekend if nothing comes up with school."

"Sounds like a plan. Hopefully I'll be feeling better by then and we can hang a bit."

"I'd really like that, Adam," Tommy smiled. "Hey, maybe we could get away from the others and just go have lunch together somewhere nice-whatcha think?" He knew he was going out on a limb a bit with that, but after all, that's where the fruit is.

Adam grinned slightly. "I'd like that. Be good to get away from these guys for a bit."

Tommy couldn't help laughing out loud at that. "Is Jase mother-henning you to death already?"

"Getting close and Rocky ain't much better. And that tone of voice Jase gets when you haven't done something that you know you should have." He shook his head. "Makes you feel like a kid and pisses you off at the same time."

"Man, you are preachin' to the choir," he giggled. "I know exactly which voice you mean. Irks me to no end." Tom sighed softly, knowing that he was going to have to call Jason now and check on the man. "Call me back when you feel up to talking some more or if you just need to talk, okay?"

Adam yawned. "Yeah, no problem." He chuckled softly. "Might call ya tomorrow if you don't mind. Figure I should apologize to Jase a bit after I blew up on him."

"Yeah absolutely-call me tomorrow, bro. As for Jase...I know he can be one of the most irritating humans that God ever let live, but he really does care, ya know."

"I know and thanks for talking to me, Tommy." He chuckled softly. "I'll let you go so that you can get Kyle home. Just do me a favor, bring some of that coffee when you come to visit."

"You got it-no problem. Take care of yourself, man. I'll talk to you tomorrow and see you soon. Oh, and tell the hens I said, "Hi" too!" he grinned.

Hanging up once again, Adam set the phone aside and pulled the blankets up. Turning to his side, he closed his eyes and grinning softly, slipped off to sleep.

Not long after hanging up with Adam, Tommy decided to go ahead and call Jason at the dojo. Hitting the speed dial on his cell, Tommy waited for his best friend to answer. "Jase? Hey, it's me."

The paramedic ran a hand through his hair and sighed softly as he settled onto the couch in the office. "Hey bro, what's up?" He knew that his voice sounded rough, but there was nothing that he could do about that.

"Jase? You okay? Adam told me that you guys had a bit of a fight."

A soft groan came from the former Gold Ranger as he leaned his head back and rested it against the couch. "If I said I was fine, would you believe me?"

"Umm...I'd have to say 'No'. You know better than to think you can hide something from me." He paused for a moment. "How are you really?"

"Well, let's just say that I think we're gonna need a new heavy bag in the dojo, I can't shut my eyes without seeing what happened in the wreck again, and I really need to see you, Tom." Jason had to swallow hard in order to finish what he was saying and then wiped his eyes.

Tommy could hear the emotion in his best friend/lover's voice-it hurt to hear him like this. "Aww baby...I'll be down there on Friday and we can reconnect then, okay?" He sighed as memories of the wreck flashed through his mind as well. "I wish you hadn't pulled that damn file out again. You know how it affects you."

"And I really can't wait to see you again." A heavy sigh slipped from the other man. "If I hadn't pulled it out, then Adam would have gone looking for it since I told him it existed after he got back from seeing you." He was quiet for a moment. "It would have been a lot worse for me if he had gone and found it while I was gone and then I came home to see it sitting out. There's no telling how I would have reacted then."

"I know that Adam said that he just wanted to understand more of what happened to me, but he should've known that he wasn't emotionally ready to read all that. Why would he do that to himself?"

"I honestly don't think he really understood everything until he saw it in print, Tom. You and I both know how bad it was because we were there and lived it. He only has our version of things until the file was given to him to read over."

"Yeah, that's true. Well, I guess this is just one more thing we'll have to help him deal with. And when we get together in a couple of days, I'll try my best to help you get past it too."

"You mean help me stuff it back into the box that I keep it in?" Jason snorted softly. "I'm never really going to get past seeing you die, bro. That's something that will always haunt my nightmares, but for the most part I deal with it. Every person I help in the field goes a little bit towards helping that as well."

Tommy lowered his head and sighed. "I know. I really wish I could erase that episode in our lives, but...it's made us what we are today, ya know? Who knows where we would've ended up if that damned wreck hadn't happened? But you do a lot of good, you help a lot of people-you always have."

"You've helped your share too, bro." The Original Red Ranger sat up a bit. "But you're right, there's now telling who we would've become if you hadn't been in the wreck. I wish it had been a little less traumatic for both of us, but it has made us who we are."

Tommy agreed. "So tell me, other than being mad at us for keeping things from him, how is Adam?"

"He's still tiring easily and has been getting headaches. I'm actually thinking I should take him to see a doctor."

"What could be wrong with him, you think? I mean, I know he really tied one on, but he should be getting over that by now, shouldn't he?"

"Truthfully I think he might have caught a bug that was going around the dojo. That coupled with him not eating anything, drinking only alcohol, throwing up and then falling asleep on top of the covers in just his boxers all helped to tear down his immune system. Most of the kids that got sick, from what their parents said, all acted kind of lethargic, tired easily, couple got really bad headaches... pretty much like they all had a weak version of the flu. So, I'm really hoping it is something like that, but I'd feel better knowing for sure."

"Well, I remember how he used to hate doctors-don't know if that's changed. But if you think that's best then make him go. I don't want us waiting around on him to get better and him actually end up worse off."

"If I have to I'll guilt him into going. It's worked before, but it's not something I like doing. You're right though; better to have him go now than to let something get worse, especially with his birthday coming up."

"The party's still on, right? Even if he's not feeling the best, I think it'd do him good to have all his friends around. Moral support, ya know."

"Yeah, I think we should still have it. It'll definitely do him some good to see that his friends really are all there for him. Wes and Eric are supposed to come up for it as well."

"Oh good, I haven't seen those two in quite a while. So I'll be down on Friday as soon as I can break away from school. I think I'd better go now and see about Kyle. Call me again tomorrow?"

"Friday can't come soon enough for me, bro. I really need to just hold you for a while." He grinned slightly. "And maybe remind myself of why I love you." He chuckled softly. "Go check on your boy and I'll talk to you later. If I take Adam to the doctor, I'll call and let you know how things went."

"Okay, good. And I'm really looking forward to seeing you again too, hot stuff. Love you," he said with a smile.

"Love you too. I'll talk to you later, Tom. See you Friday." Sighing softly, Jason hung up and then rested against the back of the couch.

Once he'd hung up with Jason, Tommy made his way out to the jeep to check on Kyle. _'I didn't mean to leave him out here this long. Hope he's okay,'_ he thought as he walked across the grounds to the parking lot.

When the door to the jeep opened, Kyle opened his eyes sleepily and then stretched a bit. "Everything okay?" Sitting the seat back up, he put his seatbelt on while his mentor got settled.

"Yeah, everybody's pretty much alright. Sorry to keep you waiting so long," Tom said, getting settled behind the wheel. "You feel like going to the store with me or want me to drop you off at home first?"

"No problem, just gave me more of a nap is all." He nodded, watching the older man carefully. "I'm good for a trip to the store. I was thinking that I could make dinner tonight." There was just something in the other man's voice that made him want to dig deeper and find out what all the call had detailed.

"That'd be nice. What did ya have in mind?"

"Well, how about some salmon? We can see if they have any good filets, or even salmon steaks. That along with some fresh asparagus and maybe some lightly seasoned potatoes plus a salad."

"Sounds great-I love salmon. You feel like cooking, though? Don't want you to overdo."

"I'll be fine and if you want to help, I can show you a few things." Kyle grinned at his friend. "Promise I won't let you burn the kitchen down."

Tom chuckled. "It might be good for me to learn a few tricks. Wanna teach the teacher?"

"Probably be the only chance I ever get." The blonde settled back in the seat again. "So we know about dinner, what do you want to try and make for dessert?"

"Well, I don't know. Something kinda easy, I guess," he grinned. "You know I'm a 'basic cooking' kinda guy."

"Okay, then how about that white chocolate berry trifle? It's easier than it looks and my trifle dish is still at your place."

"Think I can handle something like that?"

"As long as you follow the recipe, no problem. It's when you start trying to take short cuts that you'd run into problems." He yawned and stretched again. "We'll need to get the stuff for that, plus some lemons, thyme, and green onion for the salmon."

-o-O-o-

Jason sighed as he changed after the last class. He was tired and his earlier argument with Adam weighed heavily on him. After locking up and starting for home, he made a quick stop to grab some sherbet for them. Once back in the car it was only a few minutes to home. When he reached the apartment and finally got out, Jason took his time walking from the parking lot to his place. Going inside, he nodded at Rocky. "Hey man."

"Jase, hey. Classes go okay?"

"Yeah, once I actually focused on them."

"Good. I got Adam to eat earlier and then he went off into his room to talk to Tommy. Haven't seen him since," Rocky reported.

"Might have taken a nap. He did yesterday." Setting his bag down, he took a seat on the couch. "Guess Adam told you a bit about what happened earlier."

"Yeah, he did. And Jase, I gotta admit...I'm a little upset about it too. I can definitely see why Adam is so hurt."

"We never meant to keep it from you guys for so long, but that was a bad time for the both of us. When he woke up blind, Tommy kicked his Uncle John out because he was hovering too much. When he threatened to do the same to me after I wanted to call you guys, I just gave in to him." He sighed. "After that, we both had a hard time dealing with what had happened. It took me almost a year to tell him that I'd ridden with him in the ambulance where they lost him twice on the way to the hospital."

Rocky sat listening and shaking his head. "Damn...I can only imagine what that's like. Don't wanna find out, either. I mean, Adam told me your explanation and I guess I understand it. You just gotta know, he's not in a good place right now to deal with much of anything. He's been hit right upside the head with some bad stuff lately and I think he just got to the end of his rope."

"I know and if I honestly didn't think that he might have gone looking for it himself, I'd have waited. We both know him, Rocky. If he wants something, he'll find a way to get it. That's also why I stayed nearby when he went through it. And why he's going to be staying here for a few days."

Rocky nodded. "Probably a good idea-I don't think he needs to be alone." He paused and then a thought occurred to him. "Speaking of not being alone, are we still gonna have the party on Saturday?" he leaned in and whispered.

"Yeah, even if he's not feeling 100%, I think it'll do him good."

Jason grinned. "Plus Tommy will be here and I think he can get Adam to talk more."

"Can I ask you something, Jase?"

He raised an eyebrow at him. "Sure."

"Is it just me or did Adam get close to Tommy again really quickly?"

"Well, the only thing I can think of is that they've both been through the same sort of thing. You and I really haven't."

"I guess...just seems kinda odd to me. You gonna try to talk to him tonight?"

"Who? Adam or Tommy?"

"Umm Adam...sorry. Well...either really, now that you bring it up."

"Yeah, Adam I'll be talking to tonight for sure. I owe him an apology for snapping at him. As for Tommy, I might. He's got his teaching assistant staying with him for a few days."

"Oh?" Rocky asked with a grin. "From what Adam's said, that guy's a handful."

"Haven't talked to or met him, but from what Tom says, he's definitely something else. He's also got a few health problems, which is how I know he's staying with Falcon." He sniffed. "Casserole?"

"Oh yeah...sorta my version of Cottage Pie-you'll like it," Rocky remarked, getting up to check on said dish. "It's still got about 45 minutes though."

"That's fine. It'll give me time to take a shower and check on Adam." He looked over at his friend. "And Rocky? Thanks."

Rocky tilted his head. "For what?"

"Keeping me level. I know that alotta times I can get wrapped up in things, but like today, you helped pull me back down. I appreciate it."

"Oh...okay. No problem, big guy," he said with a smile and a light punch to Jason's arm.

Rolling his eyes, the paramedic shook his head. "Better be something for dessert." He grinned at him and went to his room to take a shower.

_'Hmmm...dessert, dessert...'_ Rocky thought, rooting through the fridge. _'Well, there's always the Jello.'_

Rolling over and stretching a bit, Adam slowly opened his eyes. "Man, what time is it?" he mumbled, rolling toward his nightstand. Once he'd seen that it was getting close to dinnertime, he decided to get up and go see what Rocky had come up with. That soup he'd eaten was long gone.

After standing beneath the warm spray for several minutes, Jason washed quickly and turned the water off. He dried off haphazardly, and then wrapped the towel around his waist. He pulled out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt along with a pair of sleep pants.

Shuffling into the kitchen, Adam surprised Rocky. "Hey Rocko," he said, chuckling as his old friend nearly jumped out of his skin. "Nervous, man?"

"Dude, I just get rid of Jason and then you come all sneaky-sneaky in behind me." He raised his arms into the air. "Why would I be nervous, Mr. Ninja Toes?"

Adam gave him a quizzical look and then shook his head. "Yeah, okay. What's for dinner?"

"Cottage pie and I've got some fresh rolls along with a salad."

"Mmmm, sounds good. Where's Jase?" he asked, getting a long drink of ice water.

The taller man grinned as he walked up behind Adam and waited until he'd put the glass down, then grabbed him from behind. "Right here, Frog boy."

"Hey!" Adam exclaimed, jumping in Jason's grip. "Don't do that!" he said, trying not to smile, but failing.

"What? Thought you had all these 'ninja senses'." He started tickling the other man, knowing that his sides were vulnerable.

"Not right...now I...don't," he said, squirming and trying to get away from his friend.

"Oh? Why's that? Bit ticklish?"

Rocky just stood back and watched, finishing up with getting dinner ready.

"Yeah, just a bit," Adam exclaimed, finally getting away from Jason's grasp. He stood off to the side, well out of reach, and tried to catch his breath. "You ass..." he gasped.

He frowned. "You okay?" Jason walked over to him and put a hand on his back.

"Yeah, I think so. Still a bit weak, I guess," Adam said.

"Sorry man, I didn't mean to get you that worked up." He rubbed circles on his friend's back. "How about we go sit down for a few minutes before dinner? I can give you the once over."

"Sure," Adam said simply and headed for the couch.

Rocky flashed Jason both hands. Nodding, Jason followed Adam into the living room, grabbing his kit from beside the door where he kept it. "Still have the headache?"

"No, it's better now. The nap helped."

"Good. You might have to take a few of those to help yourself get back to normal." He did a quick check of the former Black Ranger's vitals. He still wasn't happy with all the numbers, but was willing to let it be for now. "Your blood pressure's still a bit low."

"Really? Well, I'm sure it'll be okay. I feel alright, just a little weak, like I said. Maybe after I eat I'll feel better."

"I believe you, but I want you to take it easy for the rest of the night. We'll wait until Friday, all right? If it's still low, I'll take you to see the doc and we'll make sure there's nothing wrong."

"I don't need to go to the doctor, Jase. I'll be fine," Adam said, taking another long drink. "Just really thirsty all of a sudden."

"Adam, listen to me, alright? No matter what happened between us earlier, this is not something I'm going to budge on. Honestly, I probably should have taken you in Monday." He looked over at Rocky. "Hey Rocky, let's eat in here. And bring me a Gatorade for Adam please."

Giving the paramedic an 'I don't need another mother' look, Adam rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. He took a drink of the Gatorade when Rocky brought it over and then sat back on the couch.

"After dinner, we'll give it about an hour, and then I want to check it again, see if eating helps. If you're still thirsty, I want to put you on an IV for the night." He looked at his friend. "Please? I'd rather not have to take you to the doctor, but I also really want you to start feeling better."

"Alright, alright," Adam agreed, realizing that Jason was just looking out for him. "And Jase...like I said on the phone, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have pushed you like I did."

Sighing softly, Jason pulled him into a loose hug. "And you're right; we shouldn't have kept all that we did from you guys. It was just so hard to talk about it after we finally started to get it behind us. I know it's not a good excuse, but it just really hurt too much to talk about."

"Yeah, I'm beginning to understand that. I talked to Tommy for a little while too. He said a lot of the same things you did."

"I'm glad you talked to him. Maybe when he gets the time, he can come down here. Spend a couple of days and you two can talk some more."

Adam nodded. "He said he was going to try to come next weekend if he can get away." His face lit up a little as he spoke. "I hope he can make it."

"Well, I'm sure he'll do everything he can to get here." Jason released him and sat back a bit. "Ready to eat?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry," Adam responded, looking toward the kitchen. "But umm, can I ask you something first? It's kinda been buggin' me."

Jason met his eyes again and nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

"Well, you mentioned that Tommy had kicked his Uncle John out because he was hovering and that he'd threatened to do the same to you, right?"

"Right, he just couldn't stand having people all over him like that," Jason confirmed.

"But Jase… what about his parents? Where were they? I can't imagine they could stay away if they'd been told that their only child had come close to dying and had woken up blind." Adam knew the Olivers and so he knew what kind of people they were. He also knew how close Tommy had been to his folks while he was in high school.

Sighing softly, the paramedic ran a hand through his hair. "A few months before the accident, his parents got a chance to go with the Peace Corps to some remote village out in Africa. His dad's work in engineering got them noticed and having his mom there to help out was just an added bonus." He was quiet for a moment. "It took almost a month for word of the accident to reach them and by that time Tommy was in Silver Hills. It took another two months before they could get back to the States."

"Oh yeah, I think I remember that now. It wasn't long after graduation that they left, it seems like." Adam sat and thought for a moment. "It took that long for them to get back? Really?"

Jason nodded. "Took three weeks just for them to reach a phone. They called and talked to John. He told them what had happened and how Tommy was, plus the fact that he had been moved to Silver Hills. After that, it took two weeks just to get a flight to one of the major airports there in Africa and another week to get on a regular flight back to the States."

"Damn...they must've been out in the absolute middle of nowhere. I'll bet they were goin' crazy trying to get back here," Adam said, shaking his head. "Well, that explains that. I guess I'd just forgotten that his folks were out of the country."

"It's not your fault. They rarely ever talk about that trip because both of them feel guilty that they didn't get home sooner to be with Tommy."

"I'm sure they got home as fast as they could. Besides, if what you're telling me is true, his parents hovering over him would've driven Tommy crazy." He sniffed the air and remembered the food that their friend had made just as the former Ape called them to dinner. "You ready to eat now? Smells great."

Nodding, the former Gold Ranger winked at his friend. "All right Rocko, let's eat."

Rocky snorted. "What do I look like, your butler?"

Laughing, all three friends slowly settled in to enjoy dinner.

-o-O-o-

Adam moaned softly. His body ached and he tried once again to get a hold of the others. When that failed, he tried to get to his feet. That's when he saw them, coming closer in the darkness. "No... stay away. Get away from me." His voice was rough as he spoke in his sleep while trying to fight remembered creatures.

Waking slowly, Jason yawned and rubbed his eyes, thinking how thirsty he was. After a couple of minutes, he decided that he really did need something to drink. Covers thrown back, he rolled out of bed and started down the hallway to the kitchen.

The former green Zeo Ranger groaned again. He tried to scoot backwards to get away from them as they come closer. "Get away from me! Leave me alone!"

As Jason padded down the hallway, he thought he heard voices. He leaned in close to the door to Adam's room and heard him yelling. "What the..." he mumbled, turning the doorknob.

"No! Leave me alone! Help me! Can anyone hear me? Rocky! Tommy! Please, answer me!" He tossed and turned in the bed, legs tangled in the sheets as sweat soaked his shirt and hair.

"He's dreaming," Jason said as he realized what was going on. "Adam? Can you hear me?" he asked, trying not to startle the other man.

The other man was oblivious as he continued to try and get away from the creatures in his mind. "Someone answer me please!" He groaned again, the remembered pain joining the aches he already had.

Jason sat on the edge of the bed and gently reached out to him. "Adam, it's Jason... it's okay, bro. I'm here. You're safe."

The effect was almost instantaneous as Adam sat upright quickly. "NO!" His eyes were wide and unfocused while his breathing sounded loud and harsh in the ensuing silence.

Jason was startled but recovered quickly. Grabbing Adam by both of his arms, he tried again to get through to his friend. "Adam! Wake up! You're just dreaming-you're safe. Come on, bro."

Slowly, the former Black Ranger awoke, then sighed heavily and leaned against Jason. He shivered slightly, but didn't say anything for a few moments.

"You okay, man? What was that about?" Jason asked, holding onto the slightly younger man.

The Korean took a shuddering breath. "The night that we got Tommy back from Gasket, when we fought that... that thing with all the arms. All the trouble we were having with the transporter and communicators that night."

Jason sat and thought. Those images seemed like a lifetime ago, but he did remember what Adam was talking about. "Yeah, I remember...is that what you were dreaming about? Being lost?"

"Yeah, except I couldn't get to my feet and get out of there. It just kept coming closer and I couldn't get ahold of anyone."

"Aww man...that must've been scary. What brought this up out of your memories?"

"Only thing I can think of is reading Tom's file and thinking about all the things that could have gone wrong for all of us. I mean, except for the first Green Ranger powers, I've had almost as many as he has. Even what the Sentinel Knight restored could be bad if we use it too often. Guess all of that kind of messed with my head."

"Yeah, I've thought about that for all of us who've had more than one set of powers. Tom's powers being changed so many times and them having been ripped away hasn't helped his condition any."

"Think something like that could happen to the rest of us? I mean, we all lost both the first set of powers and the Ninjetti pretty quickly. Then almost immediately got another set. Took a bit to get used to them-how they felt in battle and that kind of stuff." He snorted. "Including all the extra crap that went along with adjusting to new powers."

"I really don't know, Froggy. It's hard to say since we're the only ones that it's ever happened to. I mean, you know what trouble I had getting over the Gold powers and how sick it made me."

"Yeah, I remember. We were all really worried about you after that."

"I think that's the worst I've ever felt, physically at least, in my entire life. I can definitely understand some of what Tom is going through now."

"I bet you can." Adam sighed and pulled at his sweat-soaked shirt. "Should probably change this." He shivered slightly.

"Yeah, you should. Want me to make you some tea? I was going to the kitchen anyway," Jason offered.

"Yeah, that'd be good. I'll meet you there." He got slowly out of the bed and then stripped his wet shirt off, tossing it onto his other dirty clothes.

In the kitchen, Jason had put the kettle on for Adam and had grabbed a Gatorade for himself. "Have a seat-tea'll be ready in a few minutes," he said when the younger man joined him.

He nodded and took a seat at the counter. "Thanks, Jase."

"You feelin' okay? Calmed down any?"

"Head's starting to hurt a bit, but I'm calming down. Been awhile since I've had a dream like that."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I understand that. Just when you think you've gotten past the nightmare stage, they come back."

"Yeah, but I mean it's literally been years since I've had one that bad. Few small ones." He chuckled softly. "Had one that scared Brooke once."

Setting Adam's tea down in front of him, Jason took a seat at the counter. "Well, we know what brought it on, don't we? You've gotta get all of that stuff off your mind-it'll eat you up."

"Reading the file." Adam took a careful drink of the hot brew, then set it down. "Guess just seeing all of that stuff in writing brought things back, you know?"

Nodding slowly, Jason looked his friend in the eyes. "Now was not a good time for you to read all that, but I knew I wouldn't be able to put you off. Look, if you really want to help our Falcon, you need to take care of yourself. Know what I mean?"

He held his friend's gaze for a moment, then dropped his head slightly. "Yeah, I know. And I'm trying Rex, I really am." He took another drink of tea.

Jason reached over and gently rubbed Adam's back. "I know...you've had a lot of bad stuff hit you lately-like being in a rock slide, huh? But things will calm down and get better. You're home now where you have lots of friends that care a lot about you. And Tommy's not far up the road-you can see him more than you might think. Hell, I just take a notion and go sometimes. So it'll get better for you-just hang in there, Froggy."

The former Green Zeo nodded, then sighed softly and rubbed his temples. "Sometimes I wonder where I'd be if I'd listened to Rocky and not married her."

"Don't know, but you can't drive yourself crazy with 'what ifs'. Just concern yourself with the future." Jason paused and took a long drink. "I mean, you've got the dojo now and it's doing well. That's what you've always wanted to do, isn't it?"

"Yeah it is and you're right, it's doing well. Better than I thought it would be."

"So see? Things are looking up," Jason said with a trademark smile.

"Guess so." He took another drink, and then sighed. "Got some Tylenol handy? These headaches can quit, dude." He was quiet for a moment. "I'm thinking that expanding the dojo or opening another location might be a good idea."

"Yeah, I think you might be right," the former Ranger Commander said, getting up from his seat. "Any idea where?"

"Not sure yet. Opening another one in this area would just be pitting them against each other. Maybe somewhere a bit north."

"North, huh? Might be a good idea." Bringing back the Tylenol and another bottle of Gatorade, he put them in front of Adam. "You need to drink more, I think. Dehydration might be what's causing these headaches."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Sayin' I'm not drinking enough, Rex?" He fought the grin that tried to form as he took two of the pills with a long drink of Gatorade.

Jason grinned. "Yeah...not enough of the right things, that is."

"Guess this means I get to spend all day with Rocky shoving Gatorade and water down my throat, huh?"

"Actually, I think I'm gonna hook you up to an IV and keep an eye on you myself. Got a problem with that, Sparky?" he added with a grin.

"Other than the IV part? Not really." He gave his friend a soft grin. "Guess the IV's part of the deal about going to the doc, huh?"

"That's right. I still think it'd be a good idea for you to get checked out, though. I mean, it couldn't hurt, right?"

"You're not gonna let it go, are you?" He sighed. "I don't have a doctor here, Jase. You know me, I hardly ever get sick and when I get a sprain or something either I take care of it or you do."

"Not a problem. I can give you a list of doctors a mile long. We'll find you one," Jason answered, letting Adam know that it really wasn't open for discussion.

Shaking his head, Adam sighed. "All right, fine. When are you 'suggesting' that I do this?"

"I'll see what I can arrange. Might as well get it over with, that way if there is something you need treatment for you can go ahead and get started on it."

"So you mean today." He finished off the tea, and then took another drink of the Gatorade. "Fine, hopefully there'll be nothing for him to find and I won't have to spend my birthday worrying about it."

"Exactly. Oh yeah...your birthday's Saturday, isn't it?" Jason answered nonchalantly as he got up and stretched.

"Yeah, it is." He took another drink, and then sighed. "Let's get this over with." He wasn't looking forward to going back into his room. Experience had taught him that if he had one nightmare, he'd have more.

As they walked back down the hallway, Jason could tell that Adam was apprehensive. "Umm...you wanna bunk in with me for the rest of the night? Might keep the dreams at bay," he offered.

The former Frog paused at the doorway to the guest room, then looked over at his friend. For a moment, he didn't answer, then he nodded. "Yeah, might help some."

"Good," Jason said simply and walked toward his room with his friend close behind. "The bed's plenty big enough for two." He pulled the covers back and crawled into his usual side. "Make yourself comfortable."

Crawling in, Adam at first stayed a bit away from Jason. As he relaxed, he moved a bit closer to the other man, seeking the warmth and comfort of being close to someone.

"G'night. Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Jason asked, snuggling down into the soft bed and pulling the covers up to his chin.

"I will." Adam pulled the covers up, sighing softly as he closed his eyes. "Thanks Rex."

-o-O-o-

Thursday

Coming back into the apartment, Adam watched as Jason went to the kitchen to put away the groceries they'd gotten. Grabbing the phone, he slipped off to the bathroom and locked the door before closing the toilet lid and taking a seat. He dialed Tommy's number, and then waited for the man to pick up.

"Get that for me, will you Kyle?" Tommy asked, as his phone started ringing for a second time.

"Sure Tom, no problem." Picking up the phone, the younger man didn't even look at the caller ID as he answered it. "Hello?"

"Tommy, you have got to get me outta here. Rex's driving me ape shit. And Rocky ain't no better. Frickin' Reds. You'd think they'd been leaders or something close to it in Rocky's case." There was a snort. "Although I might have to include you with them as well, 'oh Fearless Leader'. Either way, you've got to get me out of here bro."

Surprise was easily visible on the blonde's face as he looked at his mentor. "Um, this isn't Tommy." He said when the voice on the other end finally let him get a word in edgewise.

For a moment there was total silence before Adam inhaled sharply, and then groaned. "Um, hey Kyle, can I speak to Tommy please?" While he waited for the kid to hand over the phone, the former Frog was muttering to himself under his breath.

"Sure, just give me a second and I'll get him for you." Shaking his head, Kyle held the phone out to the older man. "Dude, think you need to take this one. It sounds like Adam, but he's totally wiggin'. He keeps saying something about Rex and Reds." Shrugging, he handed the phone off to his mentor and grabbed their bags. "I'll wait for you in the car dude, 'cause you definitely need to take a few and talk to him."

As his protégé walked away, Tommy balled up a piece of paper and tossed it at the back of the blonde's head. "Don't call me 'dude'." He shook his head at the hand gesture he got in return. "You need to stop picking up on Connor's bad habits."

"Whatever, _dude_." With a wave of his hand, the younger man left. Once he reached the parking lot, Kyle tossed the bags into the back and then climbed into the front. Leaning the seat back, he closed his eyes and drifted off, realizing that it might be a while before his friend joined him for the trip back home.

After watching Kyle walk away, it finally hit the former Ranger Commander exactly what some of the things were that his protégé had said. Groaning softly, he sighed before answering the phone. "Adam? Are you okay?"

The snort on the other end gave Tommy part of an answer. "I don't know, Tom, why don't you tell me. First off, I practically tell that little devil you have working with you that we were Rangers. Then Rex is totally on my ass about taking care of myself, including making me go to a doctor. So, no, I'm probably far from alright at the moment."

Tommy couldn't help but chuckle. "Mother henning you to death, eh? That's our Rex." He paused and laughed again. "Don't worry about Kyle. He probably doesn't even really understand what you were talking about. As for Jase, what's he doing?"

"He made me get a doctor and go see him, Falcon." He snorted at the other man. "And it's not funny."

Continuing to laugh, Tom managed to say, "Yes, it is. Cause for once it's not me!" After another bout with the giggles, the former Ranger Commander tried to calm himself. After clearing his throat, he said, "So what did the doc say, anyway?"

Rolling his eyes, Adam sighed softly. "Said that I was dehydrated. He gave me an IV in his office and some sort of shot. Also told me not to work out or anything for another week."

"Well, that's not so bad. Now what is Jase doing that's driving you so crazy? Just making you go to the doctor isn't enough reason for me to come down there and kidnap you."

"Aw, come on. You know that he's going to be worse now. Please Tommy? At least come down for a visit so that his attention is somewhere else. I'll give you a massage."

"Hmmm...that's tempting, I have to admit. Maybe I could work it out," Tom said, trying not to let on that had been planning all along on visiting the next day.

"Please Tommy, I'd really appreciate it." He sighed. "Besides, it'd be nice to see someone other than Rocky or Jason."

"Yeah, their ugly mugs can get on your nerves after a while," he laughed. "Okay, okay-you talked me into it. I'll be down tomorrow after my last class, okay?"

His voice brightened. "Really? You mean it?" He grinned. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

Grinning in return, Tommy responded, "No, I'm not just saying that-I wouldn't do that to you, bro. Just lay low until I get there and I'll swoop in and snag you, okay?"

"Thanks Tommy." He groaned as Jason knocked on the door to the bathroom. "I'm fine Rex."

Tommy couldn't help it-he burst out laughing on the other end of the phone. "You'll be okay until tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He got up and unlocked the door. Opening it, he rolled his eyes at the original Red Ranger. "So any idea what time you'll be here tomorrow, Falcon?"

"Well, that depends on if Randall makes me stay for the assembly or not. I'll call and let you know when I find something out."

"Cool. So you wanna talk to Rex?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Maybe I can get him to lay off a bit-no promises though," he chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Thanks Tom. I'll see you tomorrow." He handed the phone to Jason. "Told you that I was okay."

The paramedic chuckled softly. "Yeah, I see. Heated you up some of that Cottage Pie." He took the phone from him and chuckled softly. "Hey."

Tommy was still laughing when he heard Jason's voice. "Hey there, Rex."

"See you told him that you were coming." He grinned as he watched Adam shaking his head as he took a seat and started eating.

"I had to...he was so pitiful," Tom said with a chuckle. "I'm gonna try to get there around lunchtime tomorrow if I can swing it."

He arched an eyebrow. "Going to cut class, Dr. Oliver? For shame."

"No, smartass. We've got an assembly after lunch and I'm gonna try to cut out before that. I'd like to take Adam out to lunch, see if I can get him to talk to me a little more."

He chuckled softly. "Might be a good idea. I wouldn't advise anything really heavy, but he'd probably enjoy the change of scenery."

"Oh yeah, I know he would. Think he's getting a bit tired of only seeing you and Rocky. But seriously Rex, lay off the mother hen act a little, okay? He's a grown man."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'll try, but no promises. Least getting him into the doctor was helpful, so yeah, I might be willing back off a bit."

"Good. I know it's only because you care, but he really doesn't like to be hovered over."

"Like I said, I'll try." He grinned. "Make sure you call me, let me know that you're on the way."

"Will do. It'll be nice to see you again too," Tommy said, his voice softening.

"Definitely." He moved down the hall a bit. "Be good to be able to hold you again."

"Mmm hmm," Tommy replied. "I've been missing you a lot lately."

"Oh really?" He chuckled softly. "It's not like you haven't had company."

The former Black Ranger was a bit surprised by that comment. "Jase...you know it's not like that. Come on now."

"Uh huh... robbing the cradle might get you frowned on you know." He was trying to not laugh.

"Oh please...give me a break. You have nothing to worry about where Kyle is concerned, I promise," Tommy said with a chuckle.

He laughed softly. "You'd probably give that boy a heart attack if you even tried." He sighed softly. "Can't wait to see you tomorrow."

Tommy groaned. "Probably so. Anyway, I'm anxious to see you too. I'll call before I leave."

"Good. Think Rocky's making lasagna for tomorrow, but he's not going to be here."

"Ooh, the famous DeSantos lasagna-that'll make a nice dinner. See you tomorrow, Rex."

"See you then. Get some rest tonight." He grinned. "You're gonna need it."

"Mmm... Does that mean what I think it means?" Tommy asked with a sly smile.

"Probably." He grinned. "Figure we've got some catching up to do of our own."

"Very true, very true. See you tomorrow, then," he said and after they'd said their goodbyes, he stood grinning and shaking his head. "Gonna be an interesting weekend, looks like," he said to no one in particular.

Kyle had tried his best to fall asleep, but after initially drifting off for a few minutes, his thoughts woke him. Sitting there in the jeep, he kept turning over what Adam had said on the phone today and how his mentor had looked the day before. Tommy had been distracted through most of the shopping at the store and things didn't improve a lot while they made dinner. The young man sighed heavily. He wasn't going to be able to relax until he had figured out what was going on and how he could help the man that was treating him like a friend and not a burden.

As Tom got closer to his jeep, he could see Kyle sitting there staring off into space. When he opened the door and put his things in the back, he felt that he had to apologize. "Kyle, I'm sorry. That's two days in a row I've made you sit out here and wait for me. Let me make it up to you, 'k?"

The blonde turned to him and frowned. "Why do you have to make it up to me? You didn't ask for me to come and stay with you, Dr. O." He shrugged. "Besides, from the way Adam was wiggin' out on the phone and how serious you looked yesterday, I should be the one offering to do something for you."

Tommy sighed and looked at his young friend. "Kyle...I told you that I don't mind at all having you as a guest-keeps me from being alone. As for Adam," he chuckled, "he's okay-our well-meaning friends are just about to mother hen him to death, that's all."

"Yeah well, the way he was carrying on when I answered with something about Reds and some sort of leaders, it was different than I remember him from when he was up here, you know? Just glad that he's okay, seemed like a nice guy." He looked at his mentor. "How are you doing though? Yesterday you were distracted after he called and seemed worried about something."

Trying to distract Kyle from any discussion of 'Reds' and the path that would inevitably lead down, Tommy focused on the last part of the boy's statement. "Adam is a nice guy-so are Jason and Rocky, for that matter." He cleared his throat while putting the jeep in gear. "As for yesterday, well...the conversations that I had while you waited out here brought up some bad memories, that's all."

"You know that if you need to talk about it, I'm willing to listen." Kyle put his seatbelt on and settled in the seat again. "And if you really want to make it up to me, let's not have chicken tonight."

He'd gotten them grilled chicken sandwiches for lunch and there was no way that he wanted to eat the same thing twice.

The science teacher grinned. "Okay then...how about steaks on the grill? Big man needs some red meat," he laughed.

The younger man's eyebrows rose. "Seriously? Dude, do you know how long it's been since I've had a steak, much less one I didn't have to cook?"

"Well, I haven't had one in a while either," he said with a smile at Kyle's enthusiasm. "We can have a big tossed salad and a baked potato, too. What would be good for dessert, kiddo?"

For a few moments, Kyle was quiet and then he grinned. "Well, add some corn on the cob to go with the steak, potatoes and salad. I'll whip up a dressing and for dessert how about a lemon ice box pie?"

"That'll work. And Kyle..." Tom said quietly, but tailed off.

With a frown, the young man turned to his mentor but said nothing. Instead, he waited patiently for the man to finish.

"Don't call me 'dude'," Tommy said, feigning irritation.

Chuckling softly, he shook his head and settled back in the seat as they headed to pick up the items they'd need for dinner. "Whatever you say, Dr. O, whatever you say."

-o-O-o-

Friday

Kyle moved about easily in the kitchen as he put the finishing touches on the peaches with a light caramel sauce for the pancakes. Scrambled eggs with green peppers and cheese, plus a side of bacon had already been added to their plates. He looked over at the clock before nodding slightly.

After grabbing a hot pad, he pulled the plate holding the pancakes out of the oven and put three on each plate. Once he had that finished, Kyle was getting ready to put both plates on the table when he heard his mentor coming down the stairs. Expecting the same old outfit of slacks, dress shirt and tie, Kyle froze at seeing his mentor.

Tommy walked straight over to the coffee maker, not taking much notice of Kyle at first. He did smell the wonderful aromas coming from the meal that the boy had prepared. "Smells great, Kyle. You didn't have to go to all this trouble, though," he said, glancing over at his protégé. That's when he noticed the look on his face. "What?"

Instead of answering, Kyle walked closer to the older man, and then started walking around him. He shook his head as he met the warm, chocolate eyes. "Damn Dr. O, you trying to distract the whole class? 'Cause them pants just make you want to reach out and grab that ass to see if it feels as good as it looks."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "They're just pants, Kyle, nothing special." He took a sip of his coffee. "Food about ready?"

"Yeah, food's ready and I hate to tell you, that whole outfit screams 'date' ten times greater than it screams 'school'." He went back to the stove and put the compote into a bowl. Picking up one of the plates, he started over to the table. "I only made the peaches this morning."

"Peaches are fine...and you know I'm not going on a date-just school." He took his seat and got ready to start on his breakfast.

"Oh, I know." Going back into the kitchen, Kyle returned a few moments later with a glass of juice and his morning meds. "So is there any special reason why you're dressed up a bit?"

"Oh I don't know, just felt like it today for some reason. Do I really look that much different than usual?" Tom asked, locking eyes with his young friend. He knew that he'd made special effort this morning and was actually glad that Kyle had noticed.

For a moment, the blonde was quiet before nodding. "Yeah, you do. You look like you actually took your time shaving this morning, your hair is fixed a bit differently, and like I said, those pants fit you really well without being considered provocative." He grinned slightly. "Having a hard time deciding what I want to eat: you or breakfast. Then again, you'd make someone a damn fine breakfast."

Tom had the good grace to blush. "Well, thank you," he grinned. Not really knowing what else to say and not wanting to tell the boy exactly why he was dressed up this morning, the teacher dug into his food. "Better get to eating-don't wanna be late. I don't know about you, but I don't wanna hear Randall's mouth," he grinned.

"Not particularly." He started in on his own food. When he was almost finished, Kyle took his meds before going back to his food.

"Remind me to get that coffee from Hayley's, okay? Adam specifically asked for some 'Kyle Surprise'," Tom smiled.

"Oh, believe me, I'll remind you considering I wrapped all of his presents over there yesterday and they're in a box with about four bags of coffee just for him and your friends." As he was getting up to put his plate in the sink, Kyle raised an eyebrow at his mentor. "You wouldn't be trying to put the moves on Randall to get out early today, would you?"

"Huh? Oh please...she's not really my type, ya know," Tommy responded, not looking up.

"Uh huh, and you didn't put on cologne just to go to school." The young man put his dishes in the sink before washing his hands. After drying them, he walked up behind his mentor and put them on his shoulders. Leaning in a bit, he spoke somewhat softly. "Just play to her softer side and you'll get whatever you want."

Tommy turned his head slightly and looked up into Kyle's face. With a wink and a grin he said, "Oh, I know."

Shaking his head, Kyle laughed softly. "I'm sure you do."

-o-O-o-

Kyle walked up to Principal Randall's door and knocked a couple of times. He really wanted to just go home and get some sleep before working on the tests for Tommy. He bounced slightly on his feet while he waited for her to open the door.

"Mr. Sorensen... Please, come in," she said, stepping aside after opening the door. "What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could miss out on the pep rally this afternoon by going home right after lunch gets started. Dr. Oliver's class already has their assignment for Monday and they don't have anything to turn in today. So, after the pep rally there's no need for them to stop by the classroom. They can just go straight to the buses."

She smiled slightly and adjusted her glasses. "So what you're asking is if I'll let you skip out early like the aforementioned Dr. Oliver, is that right? Why? Something you need to take care of?"

"Actually, it's not a matter of needing to take care of something so much as right now I'm going through a bad time with my anemia. It's taking a lot out of me and my doctor wants me to rest as much as possible."

Sitting down at her desk and becoming more serious, she looked at him with concern. "I see. Sorry to hear you're having problems, Kyle. Anything we can do for you?" She was really rather fond of this young man who she remembered from his time as a student there. He was one of the few that she actually felt anything aside from 'harm' towards during her time as Elsa.

He shook his head. "Dr. Oliver's helping me stick to my schedule as far as eating and stuff. It's just a matter of trying to get everything done. I've got one final paper that I'm working on and its due Monday. After that, things should level off for me. If not, it just means we try something new, again."

"Well, it's good to know that he's helping you out like that," she said with a smile. "Sure, you can go ahead and go as soon as everyone is in the gym for the rally. Like you said, there's no need for you to hang around if the kids don't need anything from your classroom."

"Thank you, Principal Randall." Kyle flashed her a grin. "I appreciate it." He turned to leave; pausing to give her another grin before starting down the hall as the bell rang, sending everyone to lunch.

-o-O-o-

Once the hall was empty again and the lunch period had started, Kyle made his way to Tommy's classroom. He raised an eyebrow when he spotted the cell phone on the desk in the store room. Shaking his head, he gathered his own things plus what he'd need to grade the tests over the weekend. Finally, he pocketed the phone and headed out. _'Oh well. Just means a ride out to his place. Hopefully he hasn't left yet._' Minutes later, Kyle was in his truck and on the way to his mentor's house in the sticks.

Looking at his watch and picking up the desk phone, Jason dialed the number for his best friend's cell phone. 'I wonder if he's left yet,' he thought while the phone rang.

Kyle's eyebrow shot up a bit when he felt the phone in his pocket start to vibrate. Removing it, he was half-tempted to just toss it aside and let it go to voice mail. Grinning, he decided on something else. "Yo yo, you got Dr. O's phone."

As this voice was clearly not that of Tommy's, Jason was a bit taken aback. "Umm...can I speak to Tommy please?"

"The good doctor is unavailable at the moment." Kyle's grin broadened slightly. "Although, I do have to say that I might be tempted to give him the message, if the offer is good enough."

_'What the hell...?'_ Jason thought, trying to decide who it was that he was talking to. "If this is his cell phone, why do you have it? Where is Tommy?"

"Well, he might be a bit tied up right now. Or I might have kicked his ass and taken it from him."

"Now you're just delusional. Look, my name is Jason-I need to speak to Tommy, okay?" he said, his tone getting a bit more stern.

"Will ya chill, dude? Considering your name showed up on the caller ID, I had an idea of who it might be. As for Tommy, your guess is as good as mine."

"Yet you have his phone. This has gotta be Kyle-I've heard about you..." he commented, realizing that he was in for it now.

"Oh you have, have you? Hmmm, must be doing well in my 'extra-curricular' activities then. And yes, I have his phone. What's it to you if I have his phone?"

"Now who needs to chill? Your 'Dr. O' isn't gonna be very happy with you when he finds out you're giving his...best friend such a hard time." Jason had to pause a moment to figure out what to call himself to this kid. The other side of his and Tommy's relationship was none of Kyle's business.

He snorted. "That wasn't me giving you a hard time, but this can be considered that." He hung up instead of hitting one of the numbers on the pad, and then shrugged. _'Oh well. So he got hung up on instead of an annoying tone.'_

Hearing the tone, Jason pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in disbelief for a moment. "No he didn't just hang up on me! That little prick..." he murmured. Dialing the phone again, this time Tommy's home phone, he waited while the phone rang. "Wait 'til I tell T..."

Tommy finished packing his bags for the trip down to Angel Grove. He stood for a moment trying to see if he had forgotten anything. Nodding, he left the bedroom and headed downstairs. It wasn't until he went to pull his cell phone out and call Jason that he realized he'd left it at school. "Great, now I have to go back there first." He sighed and shook his head, then headed out to the jeep. _'Not gonna live this one down.'_

After four rings, Jason heard Tommy's voice and he started in immediately. "Bro, you gotta do something about that little ass of a..." but then he realized that he was talking over the recording of the answering machine. He barely caught, "leave a message after the tone and I'll get back to you." He growled. Once the beep had sounded, he started again. "T...you gotta get your phone back from that little prick of an assistant. He actually had the audacity to hang up on me! Don't make me come up there and straighten him out myself!" After that, he hung up and started dialing his friend's cell phone again.

Rolling his eyes, Kyle picked up the phone and answered it on the second ring, dropping his voice he grinned. "You've reached Tommy's Pleasure Palace. How can I service you today?"

Jason growled again and rolled his eyes. _'Here we go again,'_ he thought. "Oh, it's you again. I'd really like it if you'd find your boss and give him his phone back. I'm sure he'd like to know where it is."

"Boss? He's not my 'boss'. Tommy's the teacher that I was assigned to oversee the practical portion of my studies. Doesn't make him my boss."

"Well unless he's slipping, he's your boss-believe me. That is, unless he's not the man I've thought he was for the last 13 years."

"Put it however you want it. Any reason you keep calling or do you just like the sound of your own voice?"

"I need to talk to Tommy-I told you that. Now can you please tell me where he is?" He thought about saying something concerning Adam, but then decided that he didn't owe this punk any explanation.

"And don't you think by now that if he was where I could give him the phone that I would have? I do have manners you know. And he lives almost half an hour from the school. Hell you should be grateful that I'm the one that found it instead of one of his students. Sheesh." He hung up and shook his head. "Some people."

_'I know he didn't just hang up on me again...I just know it,'_ Jason thought as he hung his head and sighed. "Tommy! Damn it, bro..."

Kyle sighed softly as he continued down the road towards his mentor's place. He was starting to get tired again and just wanted to go home. He did feel a bit bad about hanging up on Tommy's friend, but he was mostly just yanking the guy's chain.

Driving along the road towards the school, Tommy spotted Kyle's truck coming toward him. _'Maybe he found my phone,'_ he thought and rolled the window down, waving to flag his young friend down.

Kyle pulled over, then swung around and came up behind his mentor. Stepping out, he rolled his eyes as the phone rang again and he noticed it was Jason. "Richard's Meat Market can't beat Dick's Meat. You stab 'em, we slab 'em... You kill 'em, we grill 'em. How can we help you today?"

Jason groaned. "Still you, I see. Just never mind, okay? When you see Tommy, can you at least have him call me?" He had gotten to the end of his rope and his patience was gone.

"Well, if you hang on a minute you can actually talk to him. Told you I was trying to get the phone to him." He rolled his eyes and handed the phone to his mentor. "It's for you."

Tommy's eyebrow rose questioningly. He took the phone and saw Jason's name displayed on the screen. "Jase?"

"You'd best start shopping for another teaching assistant, Tom, because I'm gonna kill the little punk." He ran a hand through his hair.

A half grin broke out on Dr. Oliver's face. "What did he do?" he asked, shooting an accusatory look in Kyle's direction.

Kyle raised an eyebrow, and then crossed his arms over his chest.

"You mean besides hanging up on me twice and being a smart ass?"

Eyes opening wide, he stared at Kyle. "He hung up on you? Twice? Oh man, I'm sorry." Moving the phone from his mouth, he glared at his assistant. "Are you out of your mind?" he whispered.

The blonde snorted. "No, but he has no sense of humor. And I told him a couple of times that I was trying to get the phone back to you, but I think he's got a hearing problem."

"If I could have reached through the phone and jerked a knot in his tail, I would have. Kid's got an attitude, T."

"You have no idea how much trouble you just bought yourself. Not to mention I'm gonna have to listen to this all weekend," Tommy said with a big sigh. Turning his attention back to his friend on the phone he said, "I know, I know. Look, I'm sorry Jase. I'll deal with him, okay? I'll be on my way to Angel Grove in a few minutes, so I'll see you in a couple of hours. How's Adam today?"

"Rocky's sitting with him right now. I'm on my way over there. When I left this morning, he was still sleeping."

Kyle sighed. "Would it help if I apologized to him?"

Tommy nodded at Kyle's suggestion. "Jase, I think Kyle wants to say something to you. Be nice now, okay?"

"I will if he will." The paramedic shook his head.

Taking the phone from his mentor, Kyle sighed. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry, Jason. There was no call for me talking to you like that, but the first time I hung up on you was an accident."

"And the second time? Was that an accident too?"

"No, it wasn't and I do apologize for doing it then." He leaned against Tommy's jeep. "Just don't take it out on Tommy, okay? He forgot his phone at school and I was taking it to him. Just hasn't been a good week for me and I guess I took it out on you."

Jason sighed. _'Damn it, now I can't be mad at him,'_ he thought. _'He's worried about Tom._' "Okay, I accept your apology. And I'm sorry I got a little nasty with you. Truce?"

"Truce." He grinned. "At least for now." He handed the phone back to Tommy. "Better?"

"Didn't seem all that sincere, but I guess it's better than nothin'," he said to Kyle. "Alright, so anyway...I'll be on my way soon."

"Think Adam will enjoy seeing you again." He was quiet for a moment. "Be mad at him later, Tom. We all have bad weeks." He grinned. "Speaking of bad weeks, you were a bad boy this week."

A wicked grin appeared on Tommy's face. "Oh have I now? And what do you intend to do about it?" he asked, trying not to sound too provocative in front of Kyle.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. That's when things clicked and he covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to laugh out loud.

"I think you need to be spanked. That should 'drive' the badness from you. Although, I do like a hint of the 'naughty'."

Seeing that Kyle might be catching onto something, Tommy decided to cut this short. "That sounds good-we'll talk more about it when I get there, okay. See you in a little while."

Jason chuckled softly. "I'm guessing that your brat is still there." He sighed. "I'll see you in a couple of hours. Adam should be ready to go by the time you get here and after my errands; I'll put the lasagna on to cook."

"Can't wait! I'll call you when I'm almost there."

Tommy closed his phone, dreading looking into Kyle's face. He was sure there was a smirk resting there-especially after what he'd revealed to the boy a few nights before. "So...thanks for bringing me my phone..." he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

An eyebrow rose on the younger man as he smirked slightly. "So that's Jason, huh?" He was quiet for a moment. "Gotta admit that the voice goes great with that body."

"Umm...yeah, Jase does have a nice voice," he said, shrugging. "I, uh...need to get going." He looked back toward his jeep, hoping the kid would just drop the subject.

"Yeah, guess you do need to get going considering you only have the weekend to spend getting a little something-something."

The older man felt the blush start in his cheeks and move outward. "Kyle..." was all he could get out. 'Well, I did tell him that I intended to 'get some' this weekend. Can't really say much,' he thought.

Chuckling softly, the blonde shook his head. "I'll let you get going. You need the time to get ready for some 'private time'." He put a hand on his mentor's shoulder and squeezed. "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do and make sure you stop by Haley's to pick up the coffee for Adam's gift from me, which she has as well."

"I'll try to behave myself, okay?" he said quietly. "And I'll get the coffee-promise."

"Good," He stepped back, giving the older man room to get into his jeep. "Now you two boys be careful, don't need you breaking any beds."

Tommy's eyes widened suddenly. _ 'How does he...no, he couldn't know about that...'_ Tommy thought, remembering the last time he and Jason had gotten a little wild and pulled the headboard on Jason's bed free of the bedframe. "Uh, yeah...we'll, uh...be careful," he stammered, anxious to get out of this uncomfortable conversation.

With a wink, Kyle turned and started laughing as he made his way back to his own truck.

Tommy shook his head and started the engine_. 'Maybe I shouldn't've told him everything I did,' _he thought, but then remembered how good it felt to have someone to talk to. _'I've gotta get some dirt on him, that's all. Gotta have something to counter his smart remarks with.'_

-o-O-o-

Tommy checked the time as he finally pulled into Jason's apartment complex. "Hey, I made pretty good time, even with having to stop at Hayley's." He parked beside his best friend's SUV and grabbed his stuff, being careful to make sure the gifts were hidden. Heading up the stairs to Jason's second floor apartment, he wondered how he was going to find Adam. Would he be any better? Could he get him to open up any? He had sounded better on the phone the previous day, but Jason had warned him about the mood swings that the former green Zeo Ranger had been experiencing.

Jason heard footsteps on the stairs outside and went over to the door. Looking through the peephole, he saw that it was his best friend. Grinning, he opened it.

"Well, you made good time."

Tommy was a little surprised when the door opened before he could even get to it. "Hey...yeah, I'm here. How are things goin'?" he asked as he got inside the door and put his things down, looking around for Adam as he did.

"Not bad." He pulled Tommy into a hug. "Good to see you."

"You too," Tom said, wrapping his arms around the other man, letting his hands stroke Jason's back a little. "Been too long."

"That it has been." He squeezed him again, and then stepped back a bit. "Adam just got out of the shower and is getting dressed."

"Okay, good. I think I'm gonna take him over to that new little bistro you were telling me about. Think he'll like that?"

"I'm sure he will. And it'll give him a nice change of scenery." He picked up his friend's bag. "Come on; let's get your things settled."

"Okay," Tom said, following behind Jason as they made their way toward the master bedroom. "Is he feeling okay today?" he asked quietly.

"He's not as tired, but he's also been a little quiet."

As they walked into the bedroom, Tommy closed the door behind him. "Well, I guess we have to count our blessings. He's alive and he's getting better physically. Now we just have to get him through the emotional part of things." He stepped up to Jason who was standing in front of the dresser and slipped his arms around the man's trim waist. "How have you been?"

"Worried. He scared the hell out of me when we found him Monday. Plus talking about the stuff in that file," He sighed and shook his head. "It brought up a lot of memories."

Looking into Jason's dark eyes, Tom nodded. "I know. I hate it when something happens that brings back memories of that time in my life. If I hadn't had you there, I don't know what I would've done. Gone crazy, I guess."

"Maybe, but there was no way that I was gonna leave you like that, even if you had tossed me out."

"I know...and sometimes I'm very glad that you're as stubborn as a mule. Sometimes..." Tommy said with a grin, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on Jason's lips.

The paramedic sighed into the kiss, opening slightly to the gently questing tongue. He kept it light, a reconnecting and reassuring kiss more than anything else.

"Mmm, you taste good," Tommy whispered when they came up for air. "I wish we didn't have to go so long between visits."

"I know." He rested his forehead against his sometime lover's. "We've got some time this weekend."

"Good. Looking forward to it," Tommy said with a smile. "Guess we should go see if Adam's ready, huh?"

He grinned. "Probably." He started towards the door. "So how much begging did you have to do in order to get out of school so early?"

"Oh, not too much. That assembly is going to take up my last class period and there was no need for me to hang around for lunch and planning period. I didn't have any appointments anyway. So, Randall let me leave early. Of course, I did have to turn on the charm a little," he grinned mischievously.

Jason raised an eyebrow. "On who? The principal or your assistant? Cause I know you usually have papers to grade on the weekend."

"Oh, Kyle's easy. He feels like he owes me anyway, so he offered to grade the assignments for me. No, the one I have to charm is the principal. Not that hard, really-the right cologne, a well-placed smile, and these snug trousers don't hurt," he said with a big smile.

Jason just shook his head. "You are so wrong." He chuckled softly. "Come on, let's see if Adam's ready."

"Oh like you wouldn't do it if your lieutenant was a woman, don't even play that," he laughed.

"Only if he didn't already like me so much." He walked down the hall with Tommy and spotted Adam in the living room. "Hey Froggy, look what the cat dragged in."

Tommy came around from behind Jason and walked straight over to Adam. "Hey there-you ready to get outta this apartment?" he asked with a big smile.

Adam grinned. "Hey! You made it!" He wrapped his arms around his friend.

Hugging him back, Tommy chuckled. "I told you I'd be here, didn't I? Now let's get going-I'm hungry!"

"Now you sound like Rocky." He sighed softly against the other man, not letting him go just yet.

Noting the other man's reluctance to let go, Tommy stayed right where he was. "Jason's been telling me about this new bistro that opened across town. Sound good?"

Finally letting the other man go, Adam stepped back. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. Jase said that Rocky left lasagna for dinner."

"Yeah, I heard. DeSantos lasagna is welcome anytime. We'll have a light lunch so that we'll have plenty of room left, okay?" he chuckled.

The former black ranger nodded. "Works for me." He grinned. "So shall we get going?"

"Yeah, absolutely," he said and then turned to Jason. "You said you had some errands to run, right?"

The former Gold Ranger nodded. "Need to pick up a few things I forgot at the store yesterday." He nodded at Adam. "He's got a key in case I'm not here when you get back."

"'He' has a name, by the way," Adam said, rolling his eyes. "Let's go eat," he said to Tommy as he was turning to go.

Looking a little confused, Tommy shrugged and headed toward the door with Adam. "Man, it's nice to be out of Reefside for a few days," he said as they left the apartment.

Chuckling softly, Jason made sure he had everything he needed and then double checked the list he'd made. It also gave the other pair a chance to get going.

Adam looked over at him. "Thought you liked it up there?" He grinned. "Or was Kyle getting to you?"

"Eh...Kyle's okay. I just needed a change of scenery-been a while since I've been anywhere. Besides, can't wait to see your school and just hang out with you guys for a weekend."

Adam snorted. "Been a while since I've seen my school. Almost two weeks if Jase is right."

"Lost track of time, huh?"

"Yeah, kinda happens when you just start drinking with no real plans to stop. Think if I hadn't gotten sick, I might have kept going."

"You're lucky you didn't get alcohol poisoning, you know that, right?" Tom sighed and then continued. "Believe me, I've been there, but there's no point in drinking yourself into oblivion. The problems are still there when you sober up."

"Seemed like a good idea at the time, but yeah, deep down, I know that." He blushed a bit. "Think that's what scared Jase and Rocky so bad."

Once they were in Tommy's jeep, the former commander turned to his friend. "Adam, I don't know if you realize how bad you scared all of us. They seriously thought you were dead when they found you. And it took Jase forever to call me back. I wore a hole in the floor pacing."

"At the time, I honestly didn't care." He met his friend's warm, chocolate eyes. "Everything came down at me at once." He snorted. "I even ran into two hags at the store that I overheard. Said the only reason I was back in town was because I couldn't make my marriage work. The other said that it was probably because she found out I swung for the other team." He shook his head. "Where the hell do they get off talking about me like that? They don't even fucking know me!"

Tommy sat and listened, shaking his head. "I don't know, man. People can be so cold and cruel sometimes. Look, you know the real reason why you moved back home-don't worry about what some ignorant old women with nothing better to do than talk about people have to say." He reached over and rubbed Adam's back while he spoke. "Your friends are here for you- you should know that."

"I know." He leaned into his friend's touch a bit, and then laughed softly. "What is it about you that makes me talk? I haven't even told Jase or Rock about the store."

Tommy chuckled. "Umm...probably my natural charisma and striking good looks," he said, hitting a pose and smiling brightly.

"You have been spending too much time with Kyle. Boy's rubbing off on you and not in a good way." He grinned, and then sighed, sitting back. "It's good to see you, Tom."

Tommy laughed, nodding. "There's a good chance that you're right about that. But seriously, it's really good to see you too. I'm so glad that you're alright-I was pretty worried there for a while."

"Still not 100%. The doc knew Jason and kinda glared at him that he hadn't brought me in earlier." He looked over at Tommy again. "So where is this place? Jase is always finding places."

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. The address puts it somewhere near the hospital and doctor's park. I'm sure we'll see the sign." He was quiet for a few moments as he pulled out into traffic. "As for why you seem to want to talk to me, I'm not sure. Think it might be that you know how much crap I've been through and that I can relate better than the others can?"

"I guess. Rocky's never really had a relationship with someone, only dates. As for Jase, well, he's almost always been with you. So yeah, I guess that could be a reason."

"Maybe so. Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you feel like you can open up to me. I'm here for ya man-anytime you need to talk," Tom said, glancing over at his friend when traffic allowed.

He nodded shyly. "I know. And I do appreciate it." Adam was quiet for a few moments. "I almost called you a few times, during my more sober moments."

Pulling up to a traffic light, Tom looked over at Adam. "I really wish you had, Froggy. I would've come down here if you needed me," he replied, the concern and sincerity glowing in his big, brown eyes. "Promise me that the next time you feel like you need to talk that you will call me."

He couldn't help but meet the other man's eyes as he spoke. "I promise. And I'm here for you as well."

"I'm glad. You won't mind me calling you up at odd hours and rambling about stuff?" he asked with a grin just before the light changed.

"Not if you don't mind me doing the same." He started to relax. Just being around Tommy was starting to lift his spirits.

"Nope, not a bit," Tommy said with a grin. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant and parked near the door. "Looks like a nice place, huh? Trust Jase to scope out quality."

"No kidding. Makes you wonder what he does all day besides riding around in that ambulance."

"I have my suspicions," Tommy said with an evil grin. "Let's go get some good food-my stomach is growling." Once they were inside and seated, they continued the conversation. "So, when am I gonna get to see this wonderful school of yours?"

"Well, we can swing by after getting done here. It's not that far from here." He started looking over the menu.

"Cool. So, what looks good to you?" he asked, perusing the menu himself.

"Not sure. All kind of looks good, but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to eat."

"So you're gonna make me look like a pig, huh?" he grinned. "No seriously, just get something small."

"I will." He looked through the items. "That open faced turkey club looks pretty good."

"Yeah, it does-that shouldn't be too big. I'm lookin' at that roast beef au jus-I need some red meat," he laughed. Once they'd made up their minds and ordered, Tommy looked back over at his friend. "So...is there anything you wanna talk to me about? I know that file really upset you-any questions?"

Adam was quiet for a few moments while he played with the straw in his Sprite. Then he looked up and met Tommy's eyes. "So what all exactly is leftover from the accident and what's because of the other things?"

Tommy sat and thought about that for a minute. "Well, the wreck is the reason why I have to wear glasses, especially when I read. I have some trouble with my left hip and leg because of it too. I guess it's possible that some of my back trouble is attributable to the accident, but I don't know for sure. Other than that, I have some scars but most of those are covered by ink now."

Adam nodded. "That's one of the reasons I asked. Found that one on your side when I was working on your back."

"Oh, the bad one? The puncture wound? Yeah, I was really glad to get that covered-it was ugly."

"Still feels pretty ugly. Thought at first it might have been one of the ones Jason gave you or from another fight. The jagged edges kind of gave it away."

"Adam, I've got so many scars that I've lost count. Between our 'duties', the wreck, and doing martial arts for so long I'm covered. I think that's one reason I started getting all the tats. I was tired of looking at 'em."

He nodded, keeping quiet while their lunches were delivered. "I can understand that. Still think I'd like to get one myself."

"Oh that's right. We were gonna visit my artist the next time you were up in Reefside. I'm sure we can find a nice new tat for ya that compliments the two you already have."

"Definitely, although not a frog, at least not yet." He grinned and started eating.

"Aww come on, I still think a brightly-colored tree frog with red eyes would look killer on you! Maybe have it sitting right on your shoulder blade," he said, reaching over and rubbing the location.

Adam leaned into the touch a bit. "Really think so?"

"Oh yeah, absolutely," Tom said, giving him a warm smile. "You have a good skin tone-all that color would stand out really well."

"We'll see. Might find something else I like first."

"Whatever you want," he said and turned to start on his own lunch.

-o-O-o-

After declining dessert, Adam looked over at his friend. "Ready to get out of here and see the dojo? There's not a class there right now, so we'll have the place to ourselves."

"Sounds nice. Can I see the owner's big, plush office?" he grinned.

"Maybe. Depends on why you want to see it."

"I just wanna see how the big dogs live," he said innocently.

"Uh huh, sure you do." He laughed softly. After they paid the check, he stood slowly. "Thank you."

"For what?" Tommy asked as he straightened himself up with a little difficulty.

"For being honest with me. Hell, for just making me talk. It means a lot to me."

"Oh well...you're welcome. But I didn't make you talk. You wanted to talk-it just happens to be me you're most comfortable with."

"Still, you didn't have to listen." They walked towards the jeep as they talked. Getting in he looked over at his friend. "And I appreciate it."

"You'd do the same for me-you've said so." Tommy started the jeep and pulled out into the street. "So, which way to the school?"

"Take a right at the light, then a left at the stop sign."

"Okay, will do. So how many students do you have now? I'll bet it's growing by leaps and bounds."

"Not sure how many we have exactly. I know that it seems like we get more each week. It means we're doing well and in a short amount of time." He continued to give directions until they reached the school. Then he grinned over at Tommy. "So what do you think?"

It was obvious that the young man was proud of his first business venture. "It looks great, Adam! Can't wait to see the inside," he said, pulling into a parking spot.

Chuckling softly, he nodded. "Considering it used to be that dojo the idiots that tried to beat Rocky, Aisha and me were from, it was a good deal."

"Nice bit of revenge, huh?" Tommy grinned. They got out of the jeep and headed toward the door. "Looks like you've done a lot of work around here."

"Yeah, local vandals had painted graffiti on the outside pretty good. So we painted it, cleaned things up a bit and that sort of stuff." He walked to the door and unlocked it, then stepped inside, holding it open for Tommy.

"Very cool," Tom said, walking in and looking around at the standing bags, target dummies, mats, flags, and other dojo essentials. "Very traditional looking-I like it."

"Thanks. The office is kind of small, but the locker rooms are decent. We've got a storage area that I'm working on converting into another office and a trainer's area. There's also a small, private training room for one-on-one sessions."

"So show me-I wanna see some perks of the position," Tommy said with a mischievous grin.

Rolling his eyes, Adam locked the front door again. "Follow me." He walked down the hall, showing his friend both locker rooms before coming to a stop in the small training area. "Use this sometimes to warm up before a class."

"Do you know how long it's been since I've been in a dojo? Makes me wanna go attack one of those bags out there," Tommy said, enjoying his tour.

"Any time you're here, feel free to come in and use any of the stuff." He sighed softly. "Can't wait until I actually have the energy to get back in here myself. It helps me focus more if I can work on a kata or something."

"Tell you what, when you get to feeling better and can take a weekend off, come up to the house and we'll work on some katas and stuff, okay? That would be a lot of fun."

Nodding, Adam stretched a bit. "I'll hold you to that." He nodded. "Come on and I'll show you the office."

"Lead on," the former commander said with a smile and watched Adam walk toward the door. _'He really is put together well,'_ Tommy noticed as he followed his friend. Once they were in the office, he wandered around, checking out the plaques and trophies that Adam had displayed.

He watched his friend for a couple of minutes. "Some of those are from a long time ago. Before I moved here, and then I kept them in storage while I was in Boston."

"It's cool that you've got them displayed. You should be proud of all these," he said, still looking around. "I have some that I need to find a place for."

"Figure it's good to keep the reminders of what hard work can bring you." He took a seat on the edge of his desk. "So you like the place?"

"I really do. It's very you," Tommy said with a smile. "So you have any plans for future expansion, Master Park?"

"I've thought about either expanding this one or setting up another school."

Nodding, Tom said, "I'm telling you, Reefside needs a good school."

"I guess that's a possibility. Would have to scout out some areas. Find a place to stay, all that kind of stuff."

"What?" At Adam's perplexed look, Tommy explained. "You mean you would even think about coming to Reefside and not stay with me? Even after seeing my wonderful little house in the woods?"

He blushed slightly. "I don't want to intrude, Tommy. And I didn't want to just invite myself to stay for months in your place."

"You're not intruding and you have an open invitation, okay?" Tom said. "It'd be nice to have someone else in the house."

He looked up at him through his lashes. "Sure I wouldn't be in the way?"

Walking over and putting a hand on each of Adam's biceps, Tommy looked down at him. "I'm sure. We get along well, don't we?"

"Yeah, we do." He chuckled softly. "Neither of us can really cook though." He relaxed in his friend's hands.

"Ah, we can work that out. Besides, there's always Kyle," Tom said with a grin. As he was holding onto Adam's arms, he took the time to really feel the firm muscle under the fabric in his hands. "You're solid, aren'tcha?" he said with a smile. "One would think you'd been working out."

"Considering until I tried to drown my sorrows that I taught 3 classes a day plus my own routines, I guess you could say I work out a little." His own hands found their way to his friend's waist. "Not that I've got anything on you."

"Oh? Well, I do a fair bit of conditioning. Nothing better to do," Tommy said, moving a little closer to Adam, his hands sliding up to his friend's shoulders.

"And why is it that you don't have anything better to do?" He slid his hands closer to the small of the former Ranger Commander's back, and then began rubbing small circles with his thumbs.

"You know how it is-I don't have that many friends up there and all I really do is work and come home. For a while I had the rangers up there ya know, but since that ended it's been deadly dull in Reefside. I've even thought of moving back down here."

As he talked, his hands started massaging Adam's shoulders a bit.

Adam relaxed more under Tommy's hands. "You really like it up there. I could tell that much when you showed me around." He groaned softly when his friend hit a tight spot.

Moving even closer until he was almost completely between Adam's legs, Tommy continued to rub his friend's shoulders and neck. "You're a little tight and stiff, you know that?"

Letting his head drop a bit and closing his eyes, the former Frog sighed softly. "Yeah, I have been for a couple of days now."

Shifting so that Adam's head was resting against his chest, Tommy continued to massage and work the muscles under his hands. "You're just tense. Maybe I can help you relax a bit, huh?" he said in a low, soft voice.

"Would be nice." He was enjoying the feel of his friend's hands on his body, working the stiffness from his muscles. The closeness to Tommy helped as well.

"Okay, so after we get back to Jase's and have dinner, why don't you take a hot shower and then I'll give you a nice massage. I think I owe you anyway, don't I?"

"Probably, but I'll take you up on the offer." He sighed softly. "Feels good."

"And if you're good...I'll show you my scars," Tommy said with a bit of a chuckle.

The former Frog couldn't help it and groaned softly. "That is a tempting offer."

Eyebrows lifting a bit, the former commander smiled. "Well, a lot of them are covered in ink, like I said, so you'll have to feel for them. Are you good with your hands?"

Adam raised his head a bit and met Tom's eyes. "I think you already know the answer to that one." His voice dropped a bit as he spoke. "Don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I do. You were doing all kinds of great things to me before when you worked out my kinks. So you should have no trouble finding all those little...and not so little scars all over me."

"Considering I've already found a number of them, I can probably guess where a few more are hiding." He wrapped his legs around Tommy's, trapping him there.

"Oh I have no intention of telling you where they are-you'll have to work that out for yourself." He liked the feeling of Adam's strong legs wrapped around his own. "Is this your way of ensuring a long massage?" he said with a chuckle.

"Something like that." He grinned. "I mean, if you're going to make me work later when I give you one, gotta make sure that it evens out." The grin turned into a smile. "Besides, kinda like wrapping my legs around you like this."

_'Did he seriously just say that?'_ Tommy was surprised but tried to play it cool. "Is that right? Plan on doing it again at Jase's later?"

"Maybe, it might depend on the situation there."

"I see. Well, why don't we head on back over there before he wonders what happened to us. After dinner, we'll work on helping each other relax, how 'bout that?"

"Can't we play hooky just a bit longer?" He really didn't want to move from his spot in Tommy's arms. The other man made him feel safe and wanted. Jason made him feel safe and comforted, but at the moment Jase was almost suffocating.

Tommy chuckled. "Okay, but let's move this to the couch, okay? I need to rest my back some." Once Adam agreed, they shifted over to the large, leather couch that Master Park kept in his office.

Tommy positioned himself in the corner of the couch and motioned for Adam to sit in between his legs. Once he'd complied, Tom began to massage his shoulders again. "That's better, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. You're back okay?" He didn't want to end up feeling better at his friend's expense.

"Oh yeah, this is fine. Are you comfortable enough?"

"Think the only way I could get more comfortable is if I was lying on a bed with you working on my back."

"We can do that later. For now, just relax and let me rub these tight, sore muscles," Tom replied, closing his thighs in on Adam as much as he could.

Nodding, Adam let his chin rest on his chest while his friend worked. "Thanks for doing this Tommy. Really helps."

"Oh you're welcome...and I expect to be repaid sometime this weekend," he said with a grin.

"Think I can manage that." He was starting to get tired again and his eyes were growing heavy as his friend made him relax more.

"Good," Tommy said softly and continued to gently rub Adam's neck and shoulders. In less than five minutes, he could tell that his friend had drifted off to sleep where he sat. _'Aww, he must be really tired,'_ Tom thought, pulling him back against his chest and wrapping his arms around his waist. A yawn escaped him before he could stop it. _'So am I,'_ he thought.

Adam shifted slightly in his friend's hold, falling deeper into sleep as his head rested on Tommy's chest.

-o-O-o-

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in an update. Things have been crazy for us in the real world. Like always, we'd rather take a little more time and turn out a better product than rush something and turn out a piece that neither of us are really happy with. We're already at work on chp 7 and both of our main stories are being worked on as well. So look for a new chapter of In His Eyes coming soon and another addition to one of the prequels for Family Stands as well (Everything Has A Beginning, Inner Workings of a Deviant Mind, and Separated By Hate).

Thanks for sticking with us.


	7. Rebuilding Bridges

Misery Loves Company

By

A Warrior's Prophet

Disclaimer: See chp 1.

Author's note: Hope everyone enjoys this. Please, if you read the story write a review. Tell us what you like, don't like, or would like to see more of in future chapters. Reviews make it easier to keep writing because we know the story is being read by people who care. Thanks.

Chp 7 Rebuilding Bridges

The cell phone ringing in its holder woke Tommy and it took him a minute to remember where he was and why there was a weight on his chest. "Adam," he mumbled and then tried to get to his phone without waking his friend. He pulled it out just as it quit ringing. _'Damn,'_ he thought and rolled his eyes. A glance at the screen told him that it was Jason that had called. _'Probably getting worried. What time is it anyway?'_ He looked at his phone display as he called Jason back. _'Crap, we've been gone a while.'_

Jason answered on the second ring. "Tommy? Where are you guys? Are you okay?"

"Hi 'Mom'...yes, we're fine," Tom said, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, okay? It's just that you guys have been gone a while."

"No, it's okay...I understand," Tommy said with a chuckle. "I was kidding. See, we came over to the dojo so that Adam could show me around and well...we fell asleep, as odd as that sounds."

"Considering he's been taking a nap every day, it's not all that odd. Probably should have warned you he might get tired all of a sudden."

"That's fine," Tom whispered. "I was rubbing his shoulders and he just sorta nodded off right here on my chest. I guess I was more tired than I thought because I wasn't far behind," he said with a grin.

"When you consider I know how good you are with your hands, it's not surprising he fell asleep." He looked at his watch. "I put the lasagna in about 20 minutes ago. According to Rocky's instructions, it'll still be a couple of hours, so take your time."

"Okay. Did you get your errands done?" he whispered.

"Yeah, everything's taken care of." He grinned. "Have fun trying to wake him up."

"Considering the position we're in, I don't think it'll be too hard to do," he chuckled.

Jason rolled his eyes. "All right, well, just be careful... both of you. I'll see you when you two get back."

"Careful? What could happen? We're alone in a locked-up dojo full of weapons. I think we'll be okay."

"He's had a couple of bad nightmares. I just want you to be careful when you wake him up."

"Oh? Okay, thanks for telling me. I'll be careful," Tommy promised. "We'll be 'home' in a little while-I wanna let him sleep a bit longer."

"All right, no hurry. Like I said, there are still a couple of hours until dinner will be done. I'll see you when you get here."

"Right, see you then," he said and then ended the call, placing his phone on the arm of the couch and looking down at Adam. He was still sleeping, apparently peacefully, on Tommy's chest with no indication of waking up anytime soon. "Poor guy, he's worn down," Tom said, stroking the dark, thick hair. He laid his own head back and closed his eyes, deciding not to wake him yet.

-o-O-o-

When Adam started waking up, one of the first things he became aware of was the arms wrapped around him. He looked down at the hands that rested on his hips and thighs. An eyebrow came up slowly, but he did nothing to dislodge them nor did he try to move from the solid warmth that surrounded him. Instead, he sighed softly and just rested there. For the first time in a while, he felt safe and wanted.

Some small movement stirred Tommy from his dream and as he opened his eyes slowly, he found Adam right where he'd been, still snuggled into his chest. He moved one hand up to the man's stomach to feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing, not realizing that Adam had awoken before him.

When the hand moved, the former Black Ranger looked down at it, and then moved his own hand to cover it. He gave it a soft squeeze. "You awake, Tom?"

That slightly startled the former Ranger Commander and he jumped slightly, but recovered quickly. "Hey...yeah, I'm awake. Didn't know you were, though."

"Mmm, woke up a few minutes ago. I was comfortable though and didn't feel like getting up."

Tommy chuckled. "Motherhen has already called wondering where we had gotten off to. How are you feelin'?"

"Better. Guess the day was a bit more than what I'm used to lately." He sighed softly, and then looked over at the clock on the wall. "Wow, guess he has called if we've been gone that long."

"I told him to stay on his nest-we'd be home in a little while. So if I put you out like that, I must be pretty good with my hands," he grinned down at his friend.

"Yeah, that might have had a little to do with it." He grinned softly as his hand absently moved back and forth over Tommy's.

With his free hand, he ran his fingers through Adam's short, dark hair. "You had any more headaches?"

"Had one yesterday. Haven't had one today though, which I like." He leaned in slightly to his friend's touch.

"That's good to hear. De-stressing will help that, ya know. As long as we're alone, is there anything you wanna talk to me about?"

The other man was quiet for several minutes, and then he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking. "Did you know that Brooke refused to have a kid with me? Told me that if she wanted to have little brats, that she would have found someone else."

Tommy's body stiffened slightly. _'That bitch,'_ he thought, but realized that calling the girl names wouldn't help Adam any. "Do you mean that she didn't want kids or she didn't want kids with you?"

"Both, but mainly she didn't want kids with me." He snorted. "Said that she wanted her kids to look 'American'. Of course, none of this came out until we were in Boston."

"That doesn't make sense, Adam. Why would she have married you then?"

"I don't know. Kept asking myself the same thing. When we were out here, she was all for having kids. Soon as we started the drive to Boston, she began to change."

"Think it was her family's influence? Maybe they got to her."

"Don't know. I remember drinking that night though. We'd been talking about things and the conversation led to kids. That's when she told me that she'd never have my child. I said well what if you get pregnant without us trying." He shook his head. "She slapped me and said that if I expected to sleep with her anymore and to have sex, I'd better use a condom."

"I honestly believe that if I came face to face with her, I'd forget that I'm a gentleman. What a bitch," Tom said, a slight growl in his voice.

Adam nodded. "Guess I'm starting to realize that I _am_ better off without her, but it still hurts."

"You are, you definitely are," Tommy said, wrapping his arms around his friend's waist once again and pulling him closer.

Sighing softly, he let himself be held. "Why did I ever marry her, Tommy?"

"I don't know. You loved her, I guess...or thought you did. Lots of people fall into the same trap." He paused and took a deep breath. "You're away from her now and you've started a new life...things are going to get better."

"That's what everyone keeps saying. Just wish it wouldn't hurt so bad in the process, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Stand up," Tommy requested simply.

Slowly Adam got to his feet, and then stretched lightly before turning around to face his friend. "Okay, I'm up. Now what?"

Tommy stood slowly, his back catching halfway up. "Oooh," he said, a grimace on his face. He waved off help from his friend and straightened up. "Come here," he said softly and pulled Adam into a warm, tight hug. "I am always here for you, man...never doubt that." One hand went to Adam's head and he ran his fingers through his hair.

His arms wrapped around Tommy, holding on tight before resting his head against the other man's chest. "I know and I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that." He let his hands run up and down the former Ranger Commander's back.

They stood there for several minutes like that, a warm embrace shared by two men in need of some comfort. "Let's go back to Jase's and have dinner. Afterwards, we can spend some more time alone, okay?"

Adam nodded. "All right." Sighing softly, he turned his head to look at Tommy. Slowly, he leaned in and placed a light kiss on his friend's cheek. "Thank you."

A warm smile spread over Tommy's face. "You're welcome...and thank you, too."

Adam cocked his head a bit. "What are you thanking me for? I haven't done anything except show you around a bit."

"Oh yes you have, you just don't know it." Tommy rubbed Adam's back and looked him in the eyes. "You've given me someone to think about besides my poor ol' self. I need someone else to concentrate on."

"And I get to be the lucky subject." He shook his head. "Not sure I'm worth all that."

"I'm sure-don't put yourself down like that. You're worth every bit of attention someone can show you," Tommy said with a smile.

"Well, aside from Jason and now you, no one's really been paying me any attention." He sighed softly. "But thank you."

"Oh come on, don't tell me that Rocky and your parents haven't been somewhat hovering."

He blushed. "I haven't really told my parents much."

"Really? What did you tell them as to why you left her?"

"Just that I caught her cheating and we ended up getting a divorce. They didn't need to know all the particulars." He snorted. "They were never that fond of her anyway. I had to fight with her in order to have them at the wedding. Should have known then that something was up."

"Yeah, no kidding." After a momentary pause, he suggested that they get going to Jason's place. "Don't wanna be late for DeSantos lasagna," he smiled.

"True." He chuckled softly. "Hopefully he left some dessert, too."

"Ooh yeah...something chocolate," Tommy said, his eyes lighting up. They finally released each other, feeling the loss immediately. After turning out the lights and locking the door, they climbed in Tommy's jeep and started for their friend's apartment.

Adam was quiet as they made their way back to Jason's. "I need to go over to my place sometime. Get a few more things."

"Wanna go now? We've still got time before dinner is ready. I don't mind."

He looked over at him. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just give me directions," Tommy said with a smile.

Nodding, the former Frog showed him the way. When they finally pulled into the parking lot, Adam sighed. "Haven't been here since Monday when they found me."

"Yeah, I would've guessed that-you've been in no shape to travel."

"Still probably not in the best shape." He opened the door. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Tommy followed his friend into the apartment and was stunned by the scene of destruction that still existed there. "Damn man...you tore this place up, didn't you?" he said, looking around at the broken furniture, pictures, and shelving.

"Yeah, guess I did. Don't really remember doing most of it." He started walking towards his bedroom. "Remember drinking a lot, though."

"I guess between the two of us, we can really put it away. Don't think I've ever done this before, though," he smiled, trying to lighten Adam's mood.

"Well, I'm hoping to never repeat it." He started packing a bag and was quiet for a few moments. "You know, I know that Rocky and Jase were scared that I was dead when they found me." He turned and faced his friend. "But at the time, I didn't care if I lived or died. I just wanted everything to stop hurting so much. And then when I read your file, I realized that you're in more pain than I will hopefully ever know."

Tommy just looked at him for a few moments and then sighed. "Yeah, it can get bad at times, but for the most part, I'm okay. I can deal with it as long as I have some meds to take the edge off. Please don't worry about me, Adam. Just concentrate on getting yourself back together-that's the way you can best help me."

"I'll try." He finished packing a bag, and then looked at Tommy. "Let's get out of here."

"Okay, let's go," he replied, walking toward the front door. "You'd be better off at my house," he mumbled under his breath, walking toward his jeep.

After tossing his bag in the back, the former Green Zeo looked at his friend. "You say something?"

"Oh nothing...just thinking out loud," he hedged. "Ready to go?"

"Nu huh, I talked now it's your turn. What'd you say?"

Amused by the childish phrase used by his friend, Tommy turned with a smile. "You've been teaching the Lil' Dragons class, haven't you?"

"Yes I have, but that still doesn't get you out of answering the question." He shook a finger at his friend. "Don't make me put you in time out."

"Oh, punish me baby..." Tom replied in a sultry tone.

He raised an eyebrow. "And if I decided to spank you?"

"I'd let you...I'd even bend myself over your knee," he said with a grin, trying not to laugh.

"Uh huh. And I'm sure you'd enjoy every minute of it." He climbed into the jeep.

"Oh yeah... of course." Tommy figured that he'd distracted Adam long enough that he wouldn't remember that he hadn't actually answered the question.

Adam let his friend drive along for a few moments. "So, what did you say?"

"Damn..." Tommy uttered and dropped his head slightly. "You're not gonna let it go, are you?"

"No, I'm not. It's obviously something you didn't think I'd hear." He was quiet for a moment. "Is it really that bad that you don't want me to know?"

"No, I guess not. I just shouldn't have said it out loud." He kept his eyes straight ahead on the road and sighed. "I said that you'd be better off at my house."

"Really? Why do you think that?"

"I don't know. Maybe I think we'd both be better off if we had more company at home. I know I get lonely...don't you?"

Adam was again quiet, and then he slowly nodded. "Yeah, I do. Think that's part of the reason I'm not really fighting Jason about staying with him."

"I'm not trying to influence you. I mean, you just got back here and got the dojo opened. Just know that you're welcome if you wanna come up."

"I really appreciate that. Who knows, if I do decide to open a dojo in Reefside, I might be taking you up on that offer."

Smiling warmly, Tommy turned toward Adam. "Good. Until then you can visit, right?"

"Definitely. And we'll have to have your boy cook for us again." He shot his friend a grin. "But I'll definitely be back up to visit, I promise."

"'My boy', huh? He'll appreciate that," Tom chuckled.

"Well, the way he looks up to you and the trouble he goes through sometimes, it's kind of appropriate."

"Kyle's a good kid. I wish he didn't have all the problems that he does, so I try to help him out. I suppose he figures he owes me, but I don't think like that."

"Oh? How do you think about it then?"

"Well...the boy doesn't have any family and only a few friends, so I'm just trying to be there for him. I don't wanna be repaid in any way and I've told him that."

"Yeah, but from what little I know of the kid, he's got a strong sense of morals, almost to the point of being chivalrous."

"I know and that's a rare thing to find," Tommy said and then a big grin broke out across his face and he had to chuckle. "That's why I keep telling him that he'd make someone a good wife!"

Adam had to chuckle at that. "True and the boy does need someone that will take care of him." He grinned. "And that can put up with his smart mouth." The former Frog looked over at Tommy. "You know he hung up on Jase today."

"Oh yeah...believe me, I heard alllll about it!" he said, rolling his eyes. "Really chapped Jase's hide."

"Sure we'll probably hear more about it at dinner, too." He laughed a bit. "He honestly seems like a good kid though. Glad you've got some help when you need it."

"Kyle's gonna make a good teacher, I think. He helps me out a lot and catches on really quickly. I wish he wouldn't worry about me so much, but I'm afraid he gets to see the good, the bad, and the ugly because he's around me nearly every day."

"Yeah, but I think trying to tell that boy not to worry about you would be like trying to tell Jase that." He added silently. _'Or me.'_

Tommy sighed. "I guess you're right. I suppose I should be thankful that I have friends that are concerned about me, huh? I guess I just don't like the idea that I cause anyone to worry," he said, turning into the parking lot of Jason's apartment complex.

"Yeah well, that's part of having friends. I'm not too fond of the fact that I caused everyone to worry like they did."

"I know...and Rocky and Jase know that too. Come on, let's get inside before Rex puts out an A.P.B.," he chuckled.

Adam rolled his eyes as he got out, grabbing his bag from the back. "Think Jase is the biggest worrier among us."

"Probably," Tom said, putting an arm around Adam's shoulders. "Good thing he's in the line of work that he is." A couple of minutes later they were inside the apartment, smelling the wonderful aroma of bubbling lasagna. "Honey, we're home!" the former commander called out and then grinned at Adam.

Shaking his head, Adam just stood there.

Jason came out of the kitchen, a dish towel thrown over his shoulder. "About time, I was thinking that I'd get to eat all this by myself."

"Oh no you don't! I'd be forced to hurt you if you tried to keep all of that for yourself. And Adam would help, right?" Tom asked, turning to look at their quiet friend.

"I don't know. Might just stand back and watch, then eat it myself while you're fighting over it."

"Uh huh, sure," Tommy said and noticed Jason looking at the bag in Adam's hand. "We went by his apartment to grab a few things while we were out."

The paramedic nodded. "Rocky was planning on going over there and getting it cleaned up a bit more, but he got sidetracked some."

"I don't want him doing that," Adam spoke up. "I'll clean up the carnage myself." He turned and walked toward the room that he was calling his own at the moment to put his bag away.

Tommy turned from watching Adam and looked at Jason. "Definitely not his old self yet, huh?"

"Probably going to be a while. He's cracking a few jokes though, which is something he wasn't doing earlier." He looked at his best friend. "You have anything to do with that?"

Raising his eyebrows and giving Jason a quirky grin, he said, "Mmm...maybe. He does seem to open up to me for some reason." If he had to admit it, Tommy himself was trying to figure out just why Adam seemed drawn to him. He wasn't complaining and in truth, the former Red Zeo Ranger was attracted to his old friend.

"Well, whatever the reason is behind it, I'm glad he's talking to someone." He walked over to the former Ranger Commander and put his arms around his waist. "How are you doing?"

Arms going up to rest on his friend's shoulders he said, "I'm pretty good, actually. Back's a little stiff, but that's not unusual. Froggy's gonna give me a massage after dinner."

"Good. Wish I had a hot tub we could use. Figure all of us could use a good soak." He grinned, and then met his sometime lover's eyes. "Now, about your teaching assistant. You might want to start looking for a new one."

Letting his head fall back, Tommy laughed out loud. "I knew this was coming," he said with a smile, gazing into Jason's dark eyes. "I need him, Rex...don't do him in just yet."

"Well, I might be convinced to let him live for a while yet." He shook his head and chuckled softly. "Boy's got a mouth on him." He grinned wickedly. "Can't wait to meet him in person."

"You have a gift for understatement, my friend. Yeah, he's mouthy." Tommy relaxed a little more into Jason's embrace. "You'd scare the hell outta him, though."

"And just why would I scare him that bad?" He moved a bit closer to his friend.

"Well, you don't affect me this way, but to a lot of people, you're kinda intimidating. Plus you're older and a lot more buff than he'll ever be. I'd say you might be able to shut him up," he said with a smile, turning his head to look down the hallway when he heard a door close. It was Adam, going into the bathroom.

"I guess I can understand that." He leaned in and gave him a light kiss. "Maybe I'll have to thank him for helping you out."

Though Tommy was beginning to admit to himself that he might be growing more attracted to Adam, he knew that the young man wasn't in the right frame of mind to even think about starting a new relationship right now. But here was Jason-available, very familiar, flirty, and sexy as hell-and it had been too long. Before he could stop himself, Tommy captured those full lips with his own, tasting and inhaling that 'familiarness' and enjoying it fully. Pressing himself harder against the strong body of his best friend, he felt the reaction that he was causing.

Jason groaned softly into the mouth that held his captive. His hands slid down to cup the firm butt and pull it closer, pressing in on his growing member. He let his own tongue join the play and when they had to break for air, he rested his forehead against Tommy's. Both were panting slightly and he sighed. "If we were alone right now, I'd take you right here." His voice was low as he spoke, full of the emotions running through his burly frame.

"Mmmm... not if I got you down first," Tommy replied in a low, sultry voice. "Maybe we can steal an hour or so sometime this weekend, hmm?" he whispered, his warm breath making Jason's face tingle.

"Definitely. You won't go home unsatisfied, I promise." He ground himself slightly against his lover. "But it might take more than an hour."

"I'll hold you to that." He started to say more, but noise from the hallway made them reluctantly part. Immediately, Tommy began picking up plates and silverware to set the table.

Jason looked down the hall and grinned at Adam. "So Tommy brought a small box up that has your name on it. Figure it's got to be a present of some sort if you want to open it early."

"Should I?" Adam asked. "My birthday's not until tomorrow, ya know."

"Sure...if you want to. I gotta warn you though, it's from Kyle. No telling what's in there..." Tommy grinned, putting the last of the forks and napkins down.

"Well, okay. How much time before dinner's ready?" Adam asked.

"About twenty minutes. The lasagna's resting and I've got the bread in now." Jason grinned. "So open it. Wanna see what this kid sent you."

"Yeah, go ahead," Tommy said, encouraging him with a smile.

"All right." Adam walked over and picked the box up, raising an eyebrow at the weight. "Hope whatever it is doesn't explode." He used a knife that Jason handed him to cut through the tape and then opened it up. He grinned. "Nice." He pulled out two bags of coffee and two round tins. Opening one of the tins, he pulled out a chocolate-chocolate chip cookie. Pulling one out, he bit into it and groaned. "Oh man, that's really good."

Tommy reached over and snagged one. "Oh yeah, these are good. He makes these every now and then."

Adam handed one to Jason, then opened the other tin. "Very nice." He set that one on the table with the other and looked back into the box. "Damn, kid went all out, didn't he?" He pulled three small cookbooks out along with a wrapped package.

"Ah, he said he was gonna help you learn how to cook, didn't he?" Tommy laughed, looking at the cookbooks.

"Yeah, he did." He raised an eyebrow at Jason, who grabbed one of the regular chocolate chip cookies from the other tin.

"What? They're good." He bit into it, and then groaned softly. "Damn, got walnuts and everything."

"Wonder what's in the wrapping paper?" Tom asked. When Adam shot him a look, he held up his hands. "Don't look at me...I don't know what's in there. Honestly."

"Thought he was staying with you?" Jason asked. "Wouldn't you have seen him doing all this?"

"He is, smart ass, but that doesn't mean he tells me everything. I knew about the cookies because he made them in my kitchen, but I'm not privy to the wrapped stuff."

Adam rolled his eyes and opened the package, his eyes going wide. "Oh man, where the hell did he find something like this?" He pulled out a package of wrist bands that had the Korean symbol for 'friend' on them. Setting those aside, he pulled out a black hoodie. Opening it up, he could only stare at the silver frog that adorned most of the material, wrapping around from the back to the front. It was outlined in a green that reminded him of his Zeo suit.

"Umm Tommy...you been runnin' your mouth to that boy?" Jason asked.

"No, I swear," the former commander said, his own eyebrows lifted at the coincidence. "I haven't told him a thing."

Adam looked over at them both. "Somehow, I get the feeling that Kyle might know a bit more than he lets on." He shook his head. "Still would like to know where he found something like this."

"Well, either he got it in Reefside or he ordered it off the internet, 'cause he hasn't been out of town." Tommy fell quiet and thought for a moment_. 'Does the kid know something that he shouldn't? But how would've he found out? Conner? Ethan? Would they've run their mouths?'_

Jason shook his head as the timer went off. "Well, maybe we should find out exactly what it is he knows." Walking back into the kitchen, he turned the oven off and took the garlic bread out.

"Yeah, maybe so. But that's a cool hoodie anyway, huh?" he asked Adam. "Try it on," he said with a smile.

Unzipping it, Adam slid it on and was surprised to find that it fit perfectly. "Feels really good."

"He must have sized you up pretty good when you were at the house," Tommy said with a chuckle. "He did say that you were pretty hot," he added with a wink.

"Oh did he now?" Jason asked. "Looks good, by the way."

A blush crept over the former Black Ranger's features. "Kid also said the boxers I had on wrapped the package nicely." He shook his head, pushing the sleeves up a bit. "So? We eating or not?"

"Yes, yes...we're eating now. Get over to the table," Jason directed. Once he'd brought the food over and they had served themselves, everyone dug in. "Man...this stuff is so good," he remarked.

"Sure is," Tommy said. "I haven't had this in a long time. Wonder if Rocky would give Kyle the recipe?" he asked with a smile.

Adam shrugged. "It's possible. I'd like to see what kind of twist Kyle would put on it if he did get the recipe."

"There's no telling. It'd probably be good, though," Tom responded.

"So Tommy...I'm assuming by Kyle's remarks that he's bi? Gay?" Jason asked.

"Kinda gave himself away, didn't he? He's gay," Tommy said, picking up a piece of garlic bread and dipping it in the sauce.

Nodding, Adam grinned. "Yeah, and if those remarks didn't give him away, some of the ones he made to Tom at the mall sure did."

"Oh? Do tell..." Jason requested, looking at Tommy with a mischievous grin, propping his chin on his fist.

Tommy just shook his head and kept eating, refusing to comply.

The former Frog laughed softly. "I already told you about what happened that weekend when I got back. That's what I was referring to. Kyle's a good kid though." He chuckled. "Just got a mouth on him."

Thinking for a moment, it finally dawned on Jason. "Ohhhh, the pants incident. I remember now," he said, laughing out loud and staring a hole through Tommy.

The original Green Ranger wouldn't give him the satisfaction of responding and never looked up.

Shaking his head, Adam took a drink of the Gatorade Jason had given him. "Well, the kid did make up for it with breakfast and then all the stuff he did for dinner."

-o-O-o-

Jason watched as Adam started getting tired during the last movie. He nudged Tommy and leaned in. "If you want to give him a massage tonight, now might be a good time." When the former Ranger Commander nodded, Jason spoke to his friend. "Hey Adam, why don't you get a hot shower and when you get out Tom can give you that massage he was talking about."

Stretching slightly, the other man nodded. "Sounds good." He stood up and went to his room. Grabbing a pair of boxers and sleep pants, he went into the bathroom. After setting the shower to a temperature he liked, he stripped before stepping beneath the hot spray.

"I thought a massage might help him sleep. Besides, he promised to give me one too and I could use it," Tommy said, stretching his stiff, sore back.

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I could tell you were a little tight earlier." He grinned. "Well, Adam's better at it than I am. Maybe you can get each other to relax."

"Maybe... but there are things that you're very good at," Tom said with a leer.

"Mmm, so you keep telling me." He moved closer to the other man. "Guess we'll just have to see what those things are a little later, won't we?"

Nodding, Tommy placed a warm hand on his sometime lover's thigh, squeezing slightly. "Yeah...most definitely," he whispered, laying his head back against Jason's shoulder and looking up into those midnight dark eyes.

Leaning in, Jason captured the warm, soft lips. He kept the kiss light, but full of promise for what was to come later on.

Moaning into the kiss, Tommy opened up slightly, inviting Jason to explore him a little further.

Sighing softly, Jason dipped his tongue into that warm, moist cavern, teasing its partner that lay nestled inside. He let his hands start to stroke the body beside him, keeping the touch light.

Just as they were really getting into the kiss, the need for air became crucial. Resting his forehead against Jason's, Tommy heard the water turn off in the bathroom. "Think he's about through in there. Better make this do for a while," he said, capturing Jason's full lips and kissing him with renewed passion.

Groaning softly, the paramedic let the kiss go on for a few more minutes before he pulled back. He leaned his forehead against Tommy's, and then sighed softly. "Later, I promise."

Tommy just nodded, catching his breath. When Adam came down the hallway unexpectedly, they tried to act casual. "Umm, hey Adam. Nice shower?" Tommy asked, straightening his shirt.

"Yeah, helped me loosen up a bit." He could figure out what the other two had been up to and considering their past, he had halfway expected it. "Didn't help with me feeling tired though."

"That's okay, you need to be able to sleep tonight anyway," Tom said. "Ready for me to give you that massage?"

He nodded. "Yeah, then tomorrow I'll return the favor." He grinned. "And maybe for breakfast we can make some of that coffee Kyle sent."

"Good idea. Tommy, put him to sleep with a nice massage. Hope you have a good night, Adam," Jason said with a smile.

The former Frog chuckled softly. "Trust me, won't take much for me to fall asleep right now."

Getting up slowly, Tommy stretched a bit. "You ready?" he asked Adam, walking toward his friend.

"Yeah, I am." He nodded at Jase. "Night bro, see you tomorrow."

"G'night Froggy."

Adam led the way into the room he was using, and then took a seat on the bed. "Want me on my stomach?"

"Yeah, that'll be fine. Get yourself comfortable," Tommy said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Stretching out on the bed, he pillowed his head on his arms with his face towards Tommy. "I appreciate you doing this and tomorrow I'll return the favor."

"I know you will...it's okay. Now just try to relax," he said and warmed his hands a little before he put them on Adam's bare back.

"I'll try." He sighed softly as his friend started working on his back. "Don't hurt yourself. I'd feel bad if you did." He cut his eyes towards his friend. "Know you were stiff getting out of your jeep earlier."

"Oh no, I'm fine. Don't worry," he said softly. He took a minute to examine the tattoo on Adam's shoulder. "That really is a nice tat, bro. I'm tellin' ya, you need another one," he said as he worked the stiff muscles.

"Yeah, like I said, it's just a matter of finding one I like." He could feel himself relaxing under the steady hands. At the same time, he could feel something else happening.

"Yeah well, we can talk to Robby and see if he has any ideas." He continued to work the shoulders for a few minutes and then moved slowly downward. "Any place in particular that's bothering you?" he asked, rubbing his lower back.

Adam flinched slightly. "Right in there is kind of tight."

"Oooh yeah, I can tell," he said, concentrating his efforts on getting those muscles to relax a little. "You haven't strained your back, have you?"

"Can you do that puking?" He sighed softly. "I mean, it's been tight, but I haven't been doing a lot of bending or anything since Jase and them found me. Guess it's possible I did it when I was trashing my place."

"I'll bet that's what you did and just don't remember it. Here, hang on a minute. I'm gonna see if Jase has any massage oil." Getting up slowly, he went out of the room and down the hall.

Jason looked up from changing into a pair of sleep pants when Tommy came into the bedroom. "Done already?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"No. Do you have any massage oil? I think Adam's managed to pull something in his back," Tommy stated, standing in the doorway.

He frowned. "Yeah, I've got some here." The paramedic walked over to the nightstand and pulled open the drawer. Pulling out a bottle, he took it over to his best friend. "He okay or do you think it's something serious?"

"Well...it's probably nothing but would you come look at it right quick? It'd ease my mind."

"Yeah, no problem." He walked back down the hall with Tommy and went into the room. "Hey Froggy, Tom said that you might have done something to your back. Mind if I take a look?" He took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"No, I guess not. Go ahead," Adam said, not moving from his spot.

Carefully, Jason put his hands on the lower back of his friend, and then frowned at the tenseness he felt there. "This may hurt a bit, but I want you to tell me where it hurts the most, okay?" He started pressing in different spots on Adam's lower back.

In several places, Adam either hissed or 'Ouched'. "It's pretty sore, Rex," he said in a tired voice.

Tommy stood by with a worried look on his face. "Think it's bad, Jase?"

"All right, I'm gonna go get something out of my bag. It's just a really mild muscle relaxer. I'm gonna give it to you and then let Tom finish working on your back, okay? Then you take it easy for the weekend and if it's still bothering you Monday, I'll take you to the doctor." He looked over at the former Green Ranger. "I think it's just a mild strain, but he needs to relax for the rest of tonight and then some mild stretching tomorrow. Kind of like what you do."

"Okay, good." He looked down at Adam. "The medicine will help tonight and we'll work on some stretching for both of us tomorrow, okay?"

Jason nodded and went to get what he needed.

Adam sighed softly. "Works for me." He raised an eyebrow when he saw the paramedic come back in with a needle. "Should have known."

"I know, I hate needles too. He'll be quick," Tommy said, looking over at Jason.

"Yes, I'll be quick," the Original Red Ranger agreed.

"I hope so." Adam closed his eyes as Jason rubbed a spot on his hip. He only felt a slight sting and then the paramedic was rubbing the spot again. He opened his eyes and looked at him. "Wasn't too bad."

Jason grinned. "Well, I try." He got up, capping the syringe. "That should start to work pretty quickly and it might make you a bit sleepy. Don't fight it and let Tom help you finish relaxing, okay?"

He nodded. "I will. Thanks Jase." He settled back as the paramedic ruffled his hair before leaving to dispose of the syringe.

Tommy sat back down in the same place he'd been and applied some of the massage oil to his hands. "You ready to be put to sleep?" he asked with a chuckle.

Adam chuckled softly. "Yeah, I'm ready. Send me to 'la la' land big fella."

"'Big fella'?" Tommy laughed, beginning to rub the oil into Adam's warm skin.

"Well, you are bigger than me." He sighed softly as his friend started working on him again. _'In more ways than one if those shorts were any hint.'_

"Ohh, there's so many things I could say, but I won't," Tommy said in a low voice, still massaging his friend's sore back.

"Mmm, why's that?" He closed his eyes, relaxing into the massage.

"Because I shouldn't. Now shh! Just relax and let the medicine work."

"Okay." He sighed softly and could feel the pull of both the massage and the medicine. Unable to fight it, Adam let himself drift off to sleep, his muscles relaxing the rest of the way as he did.

Tommy continued working on Adam's back for several minutes even after he knew the man was asleep. Once he got up, he carefully pulled the covers up over his friend and turned the light out. "Goodnight, Froggy," he whispered and carefully pulled the door shut. Crossing the hallway, he entered the master bedroom. "Well, he's asleep."

"Good. If I'd known his back was that tight or even bothering him, I would have had the doc look at it yesterday." Getting up, Jason walked over to the door and shut it, then turned back to his friend. "If you want, I can work on your back a bit."

"Aww, could ya? I could use a bit of a massage," Tommy said, stretching and wincing.

"Definitely," He grinned wickedly. "Don't need you getting hurt when I reclaim you."

"Mmm... definitely not," he said, returning the grin. "We've gotta be quiet though-don't wanna wake Adam."

"I think we can manage that." He closed the gap and wrapped his arms around the legendary Ranger's waist, drawing him close. "But I think you're wearing too many clothes right now."

Slowly, Jase reached down and grabbed the edges of his soon-to-be lover's shirt. Sliding his hands beneath it, he began sliding it off the muscled torso and then tossed it to the side. Leaning in, he placed a light kiss on Tom's collarbone followed by a nip. "God, I've missed being able to do this."

"Mmmm...I've missed this too," he groaned, rubbing Jason's sides. He desperately wanted to get that shirt off his best friend's body. Taking hold of the hem, he pulled upwards as Jason allowed his shirt to be removed. Pressing their bare chests together, their lips met even as hands started roaming.

Moving slowly, Jason walked the legendary ranger back to his bed. When Tommy's legs brushed against the bed, he forced the man back onto the mattress, and then leaned over him. "I'm going to make you beg before the night is over, Tommy." He trailed a line of kisses down the other man's neck, pausing for a moment to nuzzle the hollow of his throat before continuing downward to latch onto a hardened nipple. At the same time, his hands set to work undoing the jeans that covered his ultimate prize.

Tommy laid back and just enjoyed the sensual assault. He grasped and rubbed at Jason's arms and chest when he could reach them and moaned softly. "Mmm... Jase." He wanted to get his hands on the man that hovered over him so badly, but he was trying to be patient.

He chuckled softly as he stood up. "Lift your hips." Waiting until Tommy complied; Jason could only stare down at the man. _'I love him so much.'_ Once those powerful hips were raised, he removed the jeans, but left the boxers for now. If he didn't, then the night would be over way too soon. He shed his sleep pants and socks before slipping between those powerful thighs, purposefully brushing his cotton-clad erection against the one belonging to his best friend. He rocked slightly before leaning down to capture those soft, warm lips. "Feels so good."

"Uh huh," Tommy groaned and caressed the warm skin of his lover. He intertwined his legs with Jason's and began to rub gently, causing a wonderfully warm friction.

Groaning softly, Jason pulled back a bit to look into the chocolate eyes. "Tom, I need to ask you something."

Surprised by the suddenness of Jason's question, it took Tommy a second to respond. "Umm... sure. What is it?" he asked. _'What is important enough to make him stop now to ask?'_

"Adam said something when he came back. About how you woke him up one night with your back hurting you. That one minute you were fine and the next he could feel you trying to get situated to ease the pain." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "Did you sleep with him?" he finally asked.

"Did I _sleep_ with him? As in having sex with him?"

Nodding slowly, he reached a hand out to take hold of one of Tommy's. "I want to know."

He looked up into Jason's eyes. "Don't you think I would have told you already if I had?" He paused for a moment. "No, Jason...I didn't have sex with Adam. He slept in my bed two of the three nights he was up there because we both decided it was just nice to have someone else there."

"Telling someone that you've been making love to on and off for years that you slept with someone else is always done better face to face." He ran a gentle hand along Tom's cheek. "Just so you know, he has nightmares. Monday and Tuesday, I kept him in the bed with me so I could keep an eye on him. Tonight's the first time he's gone around without a hoodie on because he's had a hard time getting or staying warm. The past couple of nights, after a nightmare, he's only been able to go back to sleep after I let him into the bed, but I haven't had sex with him either." He ran a hand down his lover's side, not light enough to tickle, but enough to tease.

"Do you know what the nightmares are about? Did he tell you?" Tommy asked, gently caressing Jason's arm.

"He keeps saying he doesn't remember. Somehow, I just don't think I'm the person he'll really talk to about it. You might be though, if he has one tonight." He let his hand slip under the waistband of Tom's boxers to gently stroke the velvety steel that they covered.

"Okay, we'll see," he said and then he grasped Jase's hand, effectively stopping what he was doing. When his lover looked at him questioningly, Tommy said, "Wait. There's something we need to clear up first." Jason withdrew his hand and waited to see what his best friend had to say. "Jason, I want you to know something. If I ever decided to have a relationship with anyone that involved sex, I would tell you, I promise. There is no way that I could keep that from you, okay?"

Jason nodded, leaning in to rest his forehead against Tom's. "Okay. And I promise the same thing." Jason kissed him softly.

Once the kiss broke, Tommy smiled at his on-again-off-again boyfriend. "Now, what was it you were doing?"

Jason chuckled softly. "You're weird." He returned to his gentle stroking of that thick cock. "But I love you." Once again, he captured those full, warm lips sliding his tongue inside to tease its mate into playing.

-o-O-o-

He could see the track, small shimmers of heat coming off of the surface underneath the sun that shone brightly overhead. _'Why am I here? What's going on?'_ Movement around his neck caused by the slight breeze made him look down at the pit pass that hung around his neck. _'John Oliver Racing? Oh no, please... please don't let me be dreaming this again.'_

He watches the cars as they start around the track and can instantly pick out the one that Tommy was driving. His heart is in his throat as he watches his friend move up through the pack. Lap after lap, his stomach gets tighter and tighter. He can't scream... that will come later. For now, all he can do is watch in fascinated horror for words to come to life as the day that he almost lost one of his best friends replays itself in his mind.

"Just 50 laps to go folks," the announcer states. _'Yeah and less than one until it's really over.'_ The thought barely has time to pass through his mind before he hears it. That gut-dropping metal-on-metal grind that comes from two tons of metal colliding at over 200mph. The crowd gasps as Tommy's car is slung into the wall and then jerked away as it tries to ride out of the concrete barrier protecting the spectators. Another bone-jarring hit sends the car careening into a spin only to slam once again into that unyielding wall of concrete and reinforced steel.

He doesn't know when he started running towards the wreck, words still unable to come out of his tight throat as he sees all the people surrounding the car that holds his friend. There is an almost eerie silence that descends over the area, broken only by the harsh whispers of those watching and the frantic orders of the men working to rescue Tommy.

The smoke seems to appear from nowhere. What is worse, no one can see it but him. The distance to the wreck doesn't seem to be getting any smaller as he continues running, trying desperately to warn one of the rescuers... someone... anyone... of the danger they are all in.

In the dark of the bedroom, the form that resided in the queen-sized bed tossed restlessly, trying to purge and fight against the images going through its mind. Sweat soaked Adam's shirt and hair, plastering it to his body. His breathing had started to speed up and he moaned softly at what he knew was coming.

Adam slows slightly as he finally gets closer to the wreck. He can see them pulling Tommy's limp body from the mangled piece of steel that was once a stock car. Blood covers the side of his face and one part of his jumpsuit. They almost have him free... where they can try to help him... save him... when the world erupts into flame and noise as the car explodes, sending bodies flying in all directions.

He stares silently at the catastrophe in front of him until something lands at his feet. As the smoke that has drifted over him clears, he realizes that it is a body... carefully, he kneels down next to it and turns the figure onto its back. The face staring up at him is his best friend. Tommy's warm, chocolate eyes are now vacant and staring at nothing. Blood still slowly seeps from a gash in his head, covering that warm face in gore and finally…_finally_ Adam can find his voice as he releases the anguish he feels at his friend's death.

"NO! NO! God, please! NOOOOO!" He can't stop the screams that erupt from him nor is he able to wake himself from the nightmare that holds him tight.

Suddenly, the sound of someone shouting reached the master bedroom. Tommy slowly tried to open his eyes, not sure what he had heard. He could feel Jason laying behind him, his arm slung over Tommy's waist. _'He's still sleeping-I can hear him breathing.'_ He heard it again. "Adam," he said in a low, sleepy voice as he started moving to get up and go check on his friend. Tommy's stirring woke Jason.

"What's goin' on?" he asked, but Jason then heard the same voice that had awoken his best friend. "Oh...not again," he said, not out of annoyance, but out of concern.

"Come on," Tom said as he quickly pulled on his boxers and dashed out the bedroom door. He could still hear Adam yelling as he got to the door of the guest room.

He didn't stop to knock-he went right in and found his friend thrashing about on the bed, soaked in sweat, still in the grips of a serious nightmare.

"Adam...Adam...wake up, man. Come on, it's just a dream," he said insistently as he reached out to shake his friend.

Walking over to Tommy, Jason put a hand on the other man's shoulder. "Don't shake him, bro. If he's having the same type of nightmare as last night, it's not going to do any good. It could also make him start fighting you."

Adam groaned and tried to fight the hands that held him. "No! You're not taking him! He's not dead! He's not!"

Tommy turned and looked at Jason and then went back to trying to wake his friend. "Adam... come on, man. Adam!" he said a little more loudly, "Please wake up."

Jason went around to the other side of the bed and looked over at Tommy. "Tom, put your hand in the middle of his chest. Just hold it there. Your other hand goes to the back of his head. Start stroking it like you would to soothe him. He had one like this last night and it took almost ten minutes before Rocky and I could get him awake."

Tommy did as Jason told him, placing his hands in the designated places. He tried again to wake his friend. "Adam... wake up!" Tommy turned to Jason. "What did you do to wake him last night?"

"Nothing, he came out of it on his own, but when he did he sat up screaming, and then almost fell out of the bed. About scared the shit out of Rocky."

Adam could feel pressure in his chest... his screams were being cut off once again as his throat began to go raw... the hands trying to force him away from Tommy's body finally stopped. Looking down at the body of the man that he called friend, he lowered his head to his and began to cry.

"Oh Tommy, I'm so sorry... so sorry." Hot tears began to slip from the former Black Ranger's eyes as the grip the nightmare had on him finally lessened.

The former commander shook his head, and then looked up at Jason. "Think he's starting to relax. Maybe he'll wake up now."

Before he had even finished speaking, Adam's eyes came open and he tried to sit up, but a pressure on his chest and arms kept him from being able to do so. For a moment, he tried to fight them.

"Easy Adam, just relax for me." Jason's voice was soft and low, not wanting to startle the other man any more than they had to. "Just breathe, Adam."

Tommy looked down into his tear-filled eyes. He had clearly heard his friend call his name while in the midst of that awful dream. "It was just a dream, bro. You're okay...everybody's okay. Understand?" he said in a low, gentle voice.

Slowly, Adam nodded his head and took a deep, shuddering breath. He tried to say something, but his throat was suddenly dry. Instead, he closed his eyes for a moment before re-opening them. The pressure on his arms was released and he felt one side of the bed shift. Then Jason was gently lifting his head for him to drink. After a few sips, he sighed and settled back against the pillow. "Sorry I woke you guys."

"That's okay. Are you alright?" Tommy asked, wanting to pull Adam into a big hug, but wasn't sure if he should.

"Other than the fact that I keep seeing you die in a fucking race car? Yeah, I'm okay." He shivered suddenly, groaning softly as he did. His hand went to his mouth and he started turning towards Tommy.

"Shit. Trash can, Tom." Jason stated, already moving to help Adam reach it. "Should have expected this."

Tommy quickly grabbed the trash can that was beside the bed and held it for his friend while Jason helped hold Adam up. Absently, he rubbed the other man's back and noticed the chill caused by the sweat-dampened shirt. "Need to get you in a dry shirt, Froggy."

Adam finished emptying the contents of his stomach, which was luckily only the water Jason had given him into the waste basket. When he was done, he sighed softly and let his friends help him back onto the bed. "This sucks."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, it does. Stomach still upset?" He was already checking the man's pulse, which was still a little fast, but it was the coolness of his skin that was starting to worry the paramedic. "Black bag over in the corner has his stuff in it Tom, if you'll get him a new shirt for me."

Tommy got up from the bed and grabbed a clean shirt from the bag. "You're gonna get over this, Adam. Don't worry." He stopped talking until he got to the bed and sat down. "Why were you dreaming about me anyway?"

Adam flinched away from the light Jason shined in his eyes and glared at him a moment. "Still a little upset, but I don't think I'm going to puke anymore. Least I hope not." He looked at Tommy, and then sighed. "I found an article in the file Jason gave me. It talked about the race and your crash."

The Original Green Ranger shot a look at Jason and then turned back to Adam. "I'm okay... yes, it was a bad wreck and it took me a while to recover, but...that was ten years ago. I'm alright now, okay Adam? You can see that."

Jason plucked at Adam's damp shirt. "Get this off, Adam. You're getting too cold again." He helped him out of his shirt and into the dry one.

He rolled his eyes at the paramedic, but the dry shirt did help a little. He met Tommy's eyes once again. "I know all of that, but the wreck... when it happens in my dreams… the car explodes... and you..." He started to cry again. "Your body lands at my feet... and there's nothing I-" He breaks off into soft sobs, his hands moving up to cover his face.

Tommy pulled Adam up into a warm, tight hug and just held him there. He stroked the man's dark hair and back. "It was a dream...nothing more."

Jason moved closer to the pair, putting an arm around them both. "Come on, you need to calm down, bro." He added his own gentle strokes to the man's back.

Adam said nothing-he just kept holding onto Tommy's strong, warm, and most importantly, _alive_ body. They all remained in that group hug for a couple of minutes, until Jason made a suggestion. "Why don't we all go lie down in my bed? It's plenty big enough."

Shaking his head, Adam started to protest. "I'll be okay. You guys go back to bed." He was still shaking slightly in their hug.

"Oh no, no way," Tommy said. "You're coming with us. Now, come on," he said, leaving absolutely no room for argument. Jason nodded when Adam looked to him.

Adam sighed and got up, swaying for a couple moments when he got to his feet.

Jason grabbed onto one arm to steady him. "Easy. I need to know if your stomach's still bothering you. If it is, I can give you something for it."

"No, it's okay now," he said, taking a deep breath. "I'm just a little shaky."

"All right, then let's get going." He nodded at Tommy to take his other arm. Together they got their friend into the other room. "You're in the middle, Adam."

"Alright," he said in a low voice and climbed toward the center of the big bed. Tommy and Jason joined him on either side. "Now just relax and try to go back to sleep, okay?" Jason said, making sure that Adam was tucked in and comfortable.

Feeling Adam shiver slightly, Tommy scooted a bit closer, then started running his hand through Adam's hair, helping the still slightly damp locks dry. "Close your eyes, bro. I'm right here and not planning on going anywhere." He kept his voice low and soft. "Just let go, Adam."

"I'm trying, but..." he stopped and sighed. "I feel like such a child-I'm a grown man, why can't I act like it?" he said, getting more and more upset.

Jason put a hand on his chest. "Adam, we all have stuff that makes us want to find someone to talk to or for comfort, even us grown men. Like me, I was almost a basket case until we figured out that Tommy was alive after That Damn Island exploded. There were a few days that if I didn't know where he was at all times, I'd start thinking the whole thing was a dream and would tear through his place looking for him."

"It took him a while to get over that. It might be the same way with you, but you _will_ get over it, okay? You're a strong person-you always have been. Just try to relax now. We're right here...okay?" Tommy said while looking deeply into his friend's eyes.

Adam locked eyes with Tommy, and then sighed, feeling himself relax. "Okay." He forced himself to close his eyes and slowly deepen his breathing. Little by little he could feel himself starting to get warm once again and relax.

Jason turned out the light, and then stretched out beside the other man. Instinctively, he returned his hand to Adam's chest. The slowing, but steady beat beneath his hand helped to reassure him that his friend was okay.

A few hours later, Tommy opened his eyes slowly. Besides the light streaming through the window, the first thing he became aware of was a body tucked up close to his, with an arm and a leg thrown over him. He looked over to see that it was Adam, curled up with him and sleeping peacefully. Jason was behind him, and it looked as though he was trying to gather the both of them up into his arms. Tommy had to smile.

Jason sighed softly as he started waking up. He could hear the birds outside, but it was the warmth pressed against him that made him open his eyes. Looking down, he spotted Adam's dark head slightly below his own. He grinned slightly and raised his eyes, meeting Tommy's over the warm body trapped between them. He gave him a soft smile.

Tommy smiled back and then looked back down at Adam. Neither of them moved too much, they didn't want to risk waking him up. Finally, Jason had to move-he had to go to the bathroom and it couldn't wait any longer. Very carefully, he unwrapped himself from the other two and slid out of the big bed.

Adam shifted slightly, snuggling in closer to Tommy, but didn't really wake. The warm body next to his felt good and he didn't want to lose the contact only to wake up and find it was all a dream-that he'd be in his bed, alone, once again.

Not about to disturb him, the former commander held him close and just enjoyed the warmth.

Jason came back from the bathroom and knelt beside the bed. Leaning close to Tommy, he kissed him softly on the cheek before speaking quietly. "I'm going to start some coffee. It's a little after 8 now. Take your time."

"Okay," Tommy whispered. "I'll be up in a little while." Jason went out into the kitchen and picked up the phone. He had to get on with the preparations for the birthday party.

It was almost half an hour later before Adam stirred again. The warmth that had been against his back had faded, which had pushed him closer to the source of heat in front of him. Now, he was trying to stay asleep, not wanting to wake up and find it all a dream. His body, however, had other ideas and he sighed softly before opening his eyes and coming face to face with a chest.

It took a moment for Adam's mind to clear, but he eventually remembered being in bed with Jason and Tommy. _'So who's chest am I looking at?'_

Tommy chuckled softly at the look on Adam's face. "Morning sleepyhead." He didn't move from his position.

"Tommy...hey," he said sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Probably close to 8:30 or 9. How are you feeling this morning?"

He considered that for a minute. "Umm...I'm okay, I guess." He realized then how tightly he was wound around his friend. He started to move away a bit saying, "Sorry...didn't mean to..." he trailed off.

Tommy stopped him. "Adam, if I was uncomfortable, I would have moved you when I woke up. Don't apologize, okay? You did nothing wrong."

Adam nodded and stopped moving. "Okay...if you say so," he smiled slightly. "So where did Jason go? Wasn't he here a minute ago?"

"More like half an hour or so, Rex had to go to the bathroom and then went to make coffee." Tommy was quiet for a moment. "You know that you have nothing to be ashamed of, right? We all have nightmares, Adam, and at one time or another, we've sought out someone for company when they've gotten really bad."

He nodded. "I remember you telling me something about having a lot of nightmares after Rita's spell was broken. That must have been tough to deal with," he said looking up into his friend's eyes.

"It was and for the most part, it was Jason that I sought out to help me deal with them. We hadn't known each other long at the time, but every night that I showed up at his window after having a nightmare, he let me in and we talked for a bit, then I would fall asleep in his bed. We woke up like this a few times before we ever realized that there might be something between us. He helped me out a lot." He ran a hand through Adam's hair. "We're both here for you Adam. So is Rocky. Any time you need to talk, whatever time it is, don't be afraid to call me."

"I appreciate that, but you might end up regretting it," he grinned. "I hope this doesn't keep up. How long did the nightmares stay with you?"

"I would never regret helping a friend out," he told Adam seriously. "As for the nightmares, I still get them sometimes, but it usually takes something to set them off. My last stint as a Ranger dug up a few of them."

"I can see where that would happen. I hope these don't hang around for long." He yawned and stretched. As much as he didn't want to move, he really needed to visit the bathroom. He rolled over and started to slowly get up.

Tommy watched him for a few moments, and then sat up himself. "If you feel like it, sometime this weekend, Jason and I can show you an old kata he taught me after they got me back from Rita's control."

"That sounds like a good idea. If I have the energy, I'd love for you to show it to me." With that, he left the room and Tommy got up out of the bed. Knowing he wasn't going to get into the bathroom for the next couple of minutes, he went to find his sometime lover.

Jason turned from where he was scrambling some eggs. A small stack of pancakes already rested off to the side. "Hey, I heard you guys talking and figured I'd start breakfast."

Tommy slipped his arms around his best friend's waist and nuzzled the back of his neck. "I love waking up to you making breakfast. You're so domestic," he said with a grin.

The Original Red Ranger chuckled softly. "You just like being fed and not having to make it yourself." He turned a bit, pulling Tommy around and kissed him softly.

"Okay, you got me there, but still...bet you'd look good in an apron," he said and playfully slapped his lover on the butt. Before Jason could retaliate, Tom scooted out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom.

Jason rolled his eyes at the retreating form and went back to making sure breakfast didn't burn. When he was done, he made three plates and took them to the table before going back for glasses of juice. "Come and eat, you two."

Adam made it to the dining room first and sat down at the table. "Smells good. I think I'm actually hungry this morning," he said sleepily.

"Good, hopefully it means that your appetite is starting to pick back up. That'll help you get your energy back. Speaking of," he handed Adam a small clear pack of vitamins. It was something that he knew would help his friend and the assortment would also help replenish what he'd lost over the last few days. "Think you should take these for a while."

Adam looked at it and nodded. "Okay, if you think it'll help. Thanks." He took a long drink of juice and started eating as Tommy came in and took a seat. "Heard from Rocky this morning?" he asked Jason.

"Yeah, I actually called him. Wanted to make sure that everything was okay at the dojo. He said that things were fine and if Adam felt like it, we should all stop by around noon. Seems a few of the students miss their head Master."

Jason took a drink of juice as he finished speaking. He knew that Tommy would understand that things were all set for the party and that everyone would be there around noon.

Tommy nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, Adam. Think you're up to it?" he said as he started on his breakfast.

Adam was quiet for a few moments, then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like to at least try. Besides, might do me a bit of good to get out of the apartment." He looked over at Jason. "Without having to be carried." He opened the small packet of vitamins and took them with some juice, then started eating again.

Grinning, Jason nodded, and then winked at Tommy across the table. They fell into a companionable silence as they ate.

-o-O-o-

By 11:30, they were getting in Jason's SUV for the trip to the dojo. "Any classes going on today, Adam?" Tommy asked.

"The morning ones should be done unless Rocky booked a private lesson."

"Rocky always was a good one-on-one teacher-even back in high school. I'll bet he's a big help," the Original Green Ranger stated.

"He really is and he's good with the kids. Jason is too, but I've found that Rexy likes the older kids a bit better." He grinned at the paramedic.

Jason rolled his eyes. "The little ones seem to think I'm their own personal jungle gym or climbing tree."

Tommy couldn't help but laugh at his sometime lover. "But you're so much fun to climb on..." he said, giving him a wink.

"Uh huh, right up until a little foot lands in a sensitive area. Let's see you laugh then, Rainbow Boy."

"You've been teaching long enough to know to wear a cup when you're teaching the Lil' Dragons. I have no pity for you, Goldie."

"I was wearing a cup, Falcon."

Adam was in the back, watching both men as they started a color fight, grinning.

Pulling up into the parking lot, Tommy noticed all of the cars around and wondered if it was gonna give them away. "Looks like he's scheduled something-a make-up class, maybe?" He shot a look over at Jason, wanting him to go along with it.

"It's possible. Could be he held a few of the senior kids over for a bit. We've been talking about putting a demo team together and that'd be the group to really start it," Adam stated, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Demo teams are so much fun. Man... those were good times," the former Falcon said with a smile.

Adam snorted. "Yeah well, you haven't seen some of the kids that would be interested. I'd hate to have them try a flying kick over someone's back."

"Wish I had the time to teach again-I'd straighten 'em out," Tommy said, getting a look from Jason. "What? You think I'm not able?"

"No, I was just thinking about how much bruise cream we'd need for the Muay Thai kicks they'd be getting when they screwed up or mouthed off."

Nodding, Tommy said, "You got that right. I don't play that 'kinder, gentler dojo' stuff." He turned and smiled at Adam. "And I can't see you doing it, either."

Adam blushed slightly. "There are times that I use the one that's not listening or goofing off as a practice dummy."

An evil grin spread across the former commander's face. "That's my boy." Looking over at Jason, he asked, "So, you made examples of any of 'em lately? I hear there are a couple of teenagers that need to be scared straight, as they say."

"Not lately. Need to though. Just haven't gotten around to it." He grinned. "And yeah, there is a couple that could do with a bit of scaring."

"I think we could handle that," Tommy said with a grin.

Chuckling softly, Adam just shook his head as he started getting out of the car. "Need to let Rocky in on that or he'll have a heart attack."

"What? From me and Jase beating up on his students? He should've come to expect that," Tommy said, slowly getting out of the SUV and straightening up with effort.

Adam stopped behind his friend. "Tonight, it's your turn for a massage. Maybe we can do a few of those stretches while we're here, too."

"That would be great, Froggy. You have such talented hands," Tommy replied with a smile, putting his arm around Adam's shoulders and walking with him toward the front door.

"Well, you both need to take it slow when you do those stretches. And a muscle relaxer tonight wouldn't be out of order for either one of you." The paramedic stated, coming up behind them.

"Yes Mother...we'll be careful," Tommy said with more than a little sarcasm in his voice. He topped it off with a wink when Jason turned on him, ready to reply.

Rolling his eyes, the former Gold Ranger opened the door to the dojo. "After you two ladies."

Tommy and Adam both shot him a look and then walked through the front door of the dojo. "Okay, why's it so dark in here? I know people are here," Adam said, reaching around Tommy for the light switch on the wall. Just as the lights came on, everyone that had been waiting for Adam's arrival suddenly yelled, "Happy Birthday!"

"What the...when did...?" Adam stuttered, unable to formulate a sentence.

"Happy Birthday, bro," Tommy said with a big, bright smile and wrapped his friend up in a warm hug.

Jason chuckled softly at the look on Adam's face. Then walked over and shook hands with Rocky. "Nice job man."

Rocky stepped up and hugged his still-bewildered friend. "Didn't think we could surprise you, huh?" he said with a chuckle.

"Damn...this is great, bro," Adam said with a wide smile, looking around at all the friends, decorations, and food that were dispersed all over the front room of the dojo.

Eric came up to the younger man and rolled his eyes. "I told them we should just take you to an island and let you relax." He shrugged. "Then I was reminded about a certain someone that blew up the last island they were on and decided not to chance it."

Tommy cut his eyes around at the Silver Guardian. "Don't go there, Myers..." he said, trying not to smile.

"What? I mean, how many of us, particularly the Reds, can lay claim to destroying an _entire_ island."

"And who better to do it than the 'greatest ranger'?" Jason smirked, making quote marks in the air when repeating the rookie Cole's words.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Come on Adam, let's go see who else is here," he said, ushering the birthday boy off toward the food table where several more of their friends stood.

Laughing softly, Wes walked up to Adam and handed him a cup. "It's punch. Rocky made it with pineapple juice, Hawaiian Punch, ginger ale and sherbet. It's actually pretty good. And just ignore Eric. I think he's on a sugar high right now." He winked at Adam. "Happy Birthday."

"I should've known something was up when he actually smiled at me," Tommy said, trying the punch.

Adam chuckled softly and took the cup the blond offered him. "Thanks Wes. And yeah, he did seem kind of hyper."

"So Eric, how're you and Wes doing? Thanks for coming up from Silver Hills, by the way. Adam needs the support," Jason said, walking with the Quantum Ranger across the room.

"It's not a problem. Gives us a chance to get out of town for a bit and spend some time alone without worrying about one of us being on call or even the both of us getting called in." He nodded towards the man in question. "Rocky told Wes and me a little. How's he doing?"

Jason tilted his head to the side and shrugged. "Well, he's definitely better than he was, but...he's still not himself. It's gonna take some time, I guess."

"If you guys want, the three of you are welcome to come up for a few days and stay at the house. Wes' dad is out of the country for a few months handling some accounts overseas. We've got a hot tub, pool and a workout room if you need it." He grinned. "And plenty of recruits to take out your aggression on if anyone should need it."

The Red Time Force Ranger nodded. "Eric and sugar are like me and more than two cups of coffee: not a pretty sight. If the cadets really piss one of us off, we just give Eric a Mountain Dew and turn him loose."

Adam and Tommy both shivered and frowned. "Man...those poor cadets. I've seen what Eric can do when he's turned loose." Tom stated.

"Yeah, and I've heard stories. Lose many recruits that way?" Adam asked with a grin, taking another sip of punch.

"Only the ones that aren't really serious about it. Don't need those ones anyway. The others usually stick around to try and get a shot at Eric during our training sessions."

"I'd like a shot at him myself," Tommy said, turning and sizing up the Quantum Ranger who was standing nearby. When he heard Adam giggle, he turned back to see a quizzical look on Wes' face. "No! Not like that...damn," a flustered Tommy uttered. "I mean on the mats!" It didn't help. Now both of them were snickering at him.

Wes grinned, raising an eyebrow. "You know Tommy, it might be possible to see what Eric says about that. I mean, it would definitely give my ass a break." He knew that what he'd said could be taken a few different ways, but was totally okay with it.

Tommy's mouth nearly dropped open at that. Adam, who was quite well aware of all of his friends' orientations, decided that he needed to go talk to some of his other guests. "Umm...if you'll excuse me, gentlemen..." he said with a grin and walked over toward a little group that included Aisha, Rocky, Billy, and Trini.

The blonde bounced his eyebrows at Tommy. "What? 'Kat' got your tongue?"

Narrowing his eyes at Wes, Tommy shook his head. "And just what would you know about that?"

He held up his hands. "Come on man, you know how Reds talk. But it was nothing bad, I promise." He grinned. "I do like living, you know."

"Uh huh," Tommy said, not looking convinced. "So...tell me about Eric..." he quipped with a grin.

"What are you wanting to know? I mean, aside from the fact that I almost laughed in his face when he told me that he was interested in me."

-o-O-o-

Rocky grinned at his friend as he came up. "So, how does it feel to be another year older, Froggy?"

Adam looked at his old friend. "Ahhh...about the same. Just glad to still be here, I guess."

The former Red Ape nodded. "Think you gave me a few gray hairs that day."

Adam glanced down. "Sorry about that." He looked up at Rocky's date for the occasion, their old friend Aisha. "I'm sure you had a lot to do with all of this, 'Sha. Thanks," he said with a smile.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You actually need to thank Rocky. All I did was pick up the party supplies." She gave him a small grin. "Happy Birthday, Adam. Now if you guys will excuse me, I need to check on a few things."

The second Black Ranger blushed slightly and grinned.

"Yeah, Happy Birthday Adam!" Trini said happily, hugging him. "Absolutely-what she said," Billy spoke up. "By the way, I really like the dojo. How's business?"

Adam snorted softly. "I'm already thinking about expanding, possibly opening another dojo."

"Really?" the original Blue Ranger said, looking impressed. "Here in Angel Grove?"

"Yeah, unless I employ like four more instructors here and even then I'd run out of room to hold classes. So we'll probably do a little expansion here and I was thinking about scouting a location in Reefside." He nodded at Tommy. "Our Fearless Leader said that there wasn't a school up there."

Both Trini and Billy both had to chuckle at the "Fearless Leader" tag. "Well, he should know. I'm actually surprised he hasn't started one himself," Trini offered.

"I don't think he really has the time. From what he says, there are nights that he's up until almost midnight grading papers and getting stuff ready to go for the next day." He grinned slightly. "When he's benched his TA, who has a mouth on him that's gonna end up getting his scrawny ass into trouble, Tom's got even more to do."

"Oh? Worse than Rocky here?" Aisha piped up.

Adam laughed softly. "Put it this way, my introduction to Kyle was when Tommy was buying a replacement pair of pants. Kid told Falcon that the pants made his butt look big and it just went downhill from there." He blushed a bit. "Next morning, I caught him running from the house after making a helluva breakfast. Told me my boxers wrapped the package nicely."

"I don't wanna know about that last part, but tell me...how is the kid still living? I would think Tom would have brought his miserable existence to an end," Rocky stated.

"Considering the kid cooks for Tom, and I mean, the boy can rival you Rocky," He grinned at the raised eyebrow. "I'm thinking that might have something to do with it. That and Kyle really does seem to help Tommy out a lot."

"Good. He needs some help. I've been worried about him being up there all by himself," Trini answered.

"Yeah, how's he doing?" Billy asked in a quiet voice, knowing that Adam and Rocky would know that he was referring to Tom's physical condition.

The former Green Zeo sighed softly. "He's got his good days and bad days, but he worries me."

"Oh? Worse than he was a few weeks ago?" Billy asked, having been informed of his former commander's last set of scans that Hayley had performed.

"Not sure about that, but I know that he woke up in pain so bad one night that I had to use a visualization technique, massage and give him his meds to get him to relax enough to be able to go back to sleep."

En masse, the four of them grimaced. Not having all that much contact with their friend in Reefside, they hadn't realized that Tommy's condition had progressed to that stage. "And there's nothing that can be done?" Trini asked, obviously worried about him.

"From what Jason has said and what little Tommy told me, nothing here on Earth."

Billy sighed. "No luck in convincing him to explore other options?"

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Remember who we're talking about here?"

Rocky rolled his eyes. "True. I don't know who has the harder head, Tommy or Jason."

"So, I guess it's just gonna take some convincing to get him to seek out other sources of help." Billy stated before taking a drink of his soda.

Aisha approached the small group as Billy finished speaking and gently laid a hand on Adam's arm. "Okay Birthday Boy, even Tommy's made the rounds of everyone more than you have." She grinned. "And now it's time to open your presents."

"Presents? You guys shouldn't have done that-this party is enough," Adam said with a grin, looking in the direction that his friend was indicating. There was a small table with lots of wrapped packages sitting on it.

Rocky frowned. "Bro, are you nuts? Presents are the best part about a party like this."

Billy cocked his head to the side, grinning. "And here I thought you were going to say that the food was the best part Rocky."

Jason nearly choked on the soda he was drinking when he heard Billy's quip. "Oh my god...somebody call Ripley's Believe It or Not."

Tommy looked at him questioningly.

"Our resident genius just made a joke!" Jason shot back.

"You're kidding...damn, I missed it!" Tom exclaimed. "What did you say, Billy?"

"He said maybe if your ears were as big as your ass then you'd have heard him the first time." With a smirk, Eric gently shoved the other man as he passed.

Wes' mouth fell open and he stopped beside Jason, staring at his partner.

"Ohhhh... nice one, Myers! I guess you have to compensate somehow, huh?" He cast a sympathetic look in the direction of the Quantum Ranger's crotch.

The Guardian Commander snorted. "If it wasn't for the presence of young eyes and ladies, I'd prove that assumption wrong." He walked closer to Tommy and leaned in. "And you know what happens when you 'assume' something." He lightly nipped the earlobe in front of him before going over to Wes and draping an arm around the other man's waist. "Come on, I want to get a good spot so I can see the look on Adam's face when he opens our gift."

Rocky could only stare in disbelief for a few moments and then he lightly clapped. "That was... that was impressive. I didn't know he had it in him."

Adam looked over at Tommy, grinning. "I think he just called your bluff, Tom."

Still recovering slightly from the unexpected nibble, Tommy nodded slightly. "Yep, I believe he did." He turned toward the Commander. "There won't always be young ones and ladies around-I expect to be proven wrong at your earliest convenience."

Eric winked at him. "Then I expect an invite to your BBQ and I'll be happy to oblige."

"Not a problem-you know you and Wessy boy over there are always welcome," Tommy said, giving Jason and Adam a mischievous grin.

Adam shook his head. "All right, all right let's get these presents opened before you both just drop trow right here."

"So which one you wanna open first, Froggy?" Jason asked, looking over the assortment.

The younger man shook his head. "I have no clue." He looked over at Rocky. "You pick one for me to open."

"Okay," Rocky said, perusing the table and finally settling on a nicely wrapped gift that was from Aisha. "Open this one first," he said, handing it to Adam.

Taking a moment to read the tag, he shot Aisha a grin. "Okay, so let's see what Mama Bear got me." He tore through the paper quickly and then set to work on the box, frowning when it clinked a bit. "I hope whatever's in here didn't break." Once he finally had the box open, Adam's mouth went a little wide. "Oh 'sha, they're beautiful."

He pulled a hand carved set of teak wind chimes out of the box. Each one had a small triangle of metal tied off of it with a Korean symbol on each one. Pulling it all the way out, he set it aside and looked back down into the box before grinning. "Very nice." Adding the chocolate and CD to the table, he shot his friend a soft smile. "Thank you, 'Sha."

"You're welcome, sweetie." She handed him another package. "Here, you can open this one next."

Looking at the tag on the smallish wrapped box, he looked over at the two Guardian Commanders. "Thanks, Eric and Wes, this was nice of you," he said, starting to tear away the wrapping paper. Once he'd opened the square box, he pulled out a black leather cord with a carved green jade circle pendant hanging from it. "Oh wow, guys...this is amazing. Really nice."

Wes grinned at him, nodding towards the little box. "Keep going."

"Hmmm? Okay," Adam said, getting the hint that there was more in the box. Once he'd removed the white tissue that the necklace had been wrapped in, he saw the gift card folder. "Oooh, Best Buy! My favorite store!" he stated with a chuckle, opening it and noticing the generous amount written on the card. "Oh guys...you shouldn't have."

Eric grinned. "It's from both of us and Mr. Collins chipped in a bit as well. He said that it was only fitting."

"Please thank your dad for me then, Wes. That was awfully nice of him...and you guys too." He smiled broadly, looking at all his friends standing around. "I am so glad to be back...I just can't tell you guys how much."

Billy stepped up, handing him another present. "We're all glad to have you back, Adam." He leaned in a bit and whispered in his friend's ear. "And on the road to recovery." Giving the man's shoulder a squeeze, he stepped back again.

Blushing slightly, Adam took the package and read the tag. His eyebrow rose a little as he wondered what Billy had gotten him. There was a little bit of heft to it and as he unwrapped it he found a book. After he turned it over, the younger man grinned. "Thanks Billy." When he opened the cover of the book on massage techniques, he found an envelope. Setting the book aside for a moment, he opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper. He had to read it twice before he turned to look at his friend. "Billy, bro, you shouldn't have done this, man."

"I happen to think it's quite appropriate," the first Blue Ranger said with a smile.

"What is it, Adam?" Tommy asked from his place beside Jason.

Looking around at the people gathered he gave them all a slight smile. "He paid for me to finish up my course work so I can become a certified massage therapist and I can do it either here in Angel Grove or Reefside, all my books and everything are taken care of as well."

"Oh that's awesome, Froggy!" Jason said, looking from him to Billy and giving them both a big smile. "Nice gift, Billy!"

"I think it's appropriate like Billy said," Trini stated, handing Adam another gift.

"You guys...this is too much," Adam said, blushing.

He began unwrapping the small, square box, wondering what was inside. As he pulled the top off, he saw the small, green crystal frog with ruby eyes sitting inside. "Ohhh...how cute!" he said, gently removing the creature from the box. "Thank you, Trini!"

She grinned at him. "I figured you could use something to throw at Rocky or Jason and he seemed to be perfect."

"Awww no...I wouldn't throw him. I've got some shoes that'll do just fine for that," Adam laughed.

Jason chuckled softly and shook his head before handing him another present. "Since a shoe is a little easier to take than that thing, you can open mine next."

With a soft chuckle the former Frog set to work. Each present was opened and admired. From his students that were attending the party, he received a frame picture of all the students with a border around it that everyone had signed. The ones he got from the rest of his friends, he would grin and thank the person before setting it aside, choosing to dwell more on them later.

As the last of the presents were being opened, Rocky excused himself and went to make sure that all of the food was laid out and waiting. Once Adam was done and had thanked everyone again for the presents, the former Ape called the party goers over for food and made sure that Adam got the first plate.

After that it was a free for all as people grabbed plates, helped kids fill theirs, and made small talk while eating. When the last of the food had either been consumed or packed up for someone to take home, Rocky finally brought out the cake.

"Now, I'm not a great baker, so I took the liberty of having this cake made. A special thanks to Trini and Billy for helping get the picture just right." Setting the cake down in the middle of the table, Rocky stepped back and let everyone get a good look.

It was a huge, double layer sheet cake that would more than feed everyone at the party. The top was done with a digital photograph of a jungle scene. Off to one side, a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex roared out over the other animals hiding in the dark green foliage. An ape and what appeared to be a tawny colored bear were just visible near some trees while a wolf stood on a small outcropping of rock near a flat blue pond. Overhead, a falcon dominated the skies. Near the center of them all, an Asian tree frog tried to make himself invisible on a fallen log.

To those that had never been Rangers, the assortment of animals might seem out of place. However, to those in the know, each animal held a special place in the owner's heart. Each member of the Ninjetti team smiled softly at the cake before looking at Rocky.

"You did good, bro." Jason stated, summing up how they all felt with a few heartfelt words.

It was easy to see the relief that spread over the other man's body before he nodded. "Okay Adam, I know how you are about blowing out candles on a cake, so I got you this." He pulled a cupcake decorated like a frog out from behind a stack of napkins. A solitary black candle stuck up from the green frosting. After lighting it, Rocky held it out. "Make a wish my friend."

Looking around at the faces of his friends and those that he considered to be a part of his family, the former Green Zeo ranger closed his eyes and thought about his wish. _'I hope this next year brings me peace and happiness in all that I do. Having a relationship with someone would be a plus.'_ An image of Tommy flashed through his mind before he opened his eyes again and blew out the candle.

Clapping his hands together lightly, Tommy grinned. "Now for some cake."

They all chuckled softly at that as Rocky began cutting the cake, making sure that Adam got the part with the frog just like all the other Ninjettis and Jason got a part of their animal. Aisha and Trini helped pass out the slices.

As he ate, Adam stood back a bit and watched everyone. A few days ago, he would never have thought that this many people cared about him enough to be here for something like this. The people he'd been a Ranger with were pretty much a given and he included the two Silver Guardians in that mix as well. Wes and Eric might never have been on a team with him, but being a Ranger linked them all no matter what team they'd been on. It made him feel a little better about his decision to come back home.


	8. Letting the Grownups Play

**Misery Loves Company**

**Disclaimers****:** See Chapter 1.

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the long delay in continuing this story. There is much more to come, so be patient with us. You'll be glad you did!

**Chapter 8—Letting the Grown-ups "Play"**

As the party was beginning to wind down, Rocky moved over to where Wes and Eric were standing talking to Aisha and Trini. When there was a break in the conversation, he spoke in a low voice to Eric. "Hey, can you and Wes hang around for a bit after the party? I could really use some help with something."

The Quantum Ranger's eyebrow rose. "Yeah, we were planning on grabbing a hotel for the night."

"Good. We might just have to extend this party a bit then. Just us guys," he said, cutting his eyes toward the girls with a grin.

"What are you planning on doing, Ape Man?" He turned to face the younger man. "Because if it's something a bit evil," he paused and grinned. "We're all for it."

"Somehow I knew you would be. Let me get a few others on board and then I'll let you guys in on it," Rocky said with a mischievous grin and headed over toward Blake and Hunter. Once he had gotten them to agree to stay behind, the former Blue Zeo Ranger decided to start the clean up.

"Here man, let us help," Blake said, motioning for his brother to lend a hand. Together they moved a couple of the tables back and brought the big trash can in from the locker room.

Jason noticed what they were up to and he started to help out without being asked. _'Can't let Rocko do everything,'_ he thought.

Adam walked over to start helping as well, when several people began to glare at him. "What?"

"This is _your_ party-you don't work at your own party!" Tommy told him, shooing him away to go talk to the remainder of the guests.

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head and walked over to Aisha. "I've been banned from helping out."

"Awww, of course you have!" she said with a smile, wrapping an arm around his waist. "How're you feeling, by the way? Getting tired?" she asked, having been told by Rocky how their friend had been feeling lately.

He shrugged. "Not so bad right now. Of course, I slept a bit later today than I have been so that could have a little to do with it."

"Well, I'm sure that you'll be back to your old self real soon. You just need to give it a bit of time and take better care of yourself, honey," the former Yellow Ranger said, giving her old friend a big, warm hug.

Adam rested his head on her shoulder. "Thanks, 'Sha." He sighed softly. If he was honest, he was halfway expecting her to lecture him on scaring her.

With everyone helping, it took no time at all to get everything cleaned up and put away. When it was just Adam, Tommy, Jason, Eric, Wes, Blake, and Hunter left, Rocky stepped out in front of everyone and clapped his hands together a couple of times. "Now then..." he said, an evil smile taking up residence on his face. "You guys up for a bit of fun?" The tone of his voice and the low, mischievous laugh coming from him made several eyebrows go up.

"Just what are you up to, Ape boy?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah...you've got something up your sleeve," Jason added.

Adam stood next to Tommy and the Bradley brothers. "Spill it Rocko, what's going on?"

"Well, it's like this," he began, walking back and forth a bit in front of them. "I've arranged for a little 'private class' tonight." He made quote marks in the air as he spoke and continued to grin wildly. "Several of our black belt candidates are in need of some...ahem...instruction and I thought a few of you might like to help me oil a couple of squeaky wheels, so to speak."

One of Jason's eyebrows rose slightly. "Are you talking about the Trouble Trio?"

"Oh yeah, you know it, man."

"You must be talking about the troublemakers I've heard so much about." An evil grin crossed Tommy's face. "This is gonna be fun," he added, rubbing his hands together like he was formulating a plan.

Eric laughed softly. "Is it wrong that the ones who are looking forward to doing this the most all wore Red at some point?"

"Not at all. I think that analysis is absolutely spot on, as a matter of fact," Adam replied. "But they are my students, so you can't hurt them...too much," he added with a grin.

Wes rolled his eyes. "So are we picking who we want or do you have specific ones in mind for each of us?"

"There are a couple of them that I have a pretty good idea of who they should be paired with. For instance, Jason you know who Wyatt is, right?" When the Original Red Ranger nodded, Rocky explained to the rest of them. "Wyatt is a big, powerful kid who either can't control his own strength or chooses not to. Jason will be the perfect bull to teach that one a lesson or two. The others...I think I'll let you guys pick." He finished off that sentence with another sly grin. He was definitely enjoying this.

Eric gently nudged Tommy. "Why does he look like he's getting some sort of perverse glee from this?"

"Cause he is!" Tommy answered with a laugh. "I've heard about how mouthy and nervy some of these kids are. I can't wait to take them down a peg or two."

"Yeah well, there's always that," the Guardian commander chuckled softly. "I get the feeling that these kids are gonna wish they'd never agreed to come to this."

"Awww, it'll be good for 'em," he replied, giving Eric a wink. "Can I borrow a gi, Jase? I didn't think to bring one to a birthday party," Tommy said with a grin.

The other man nodded. "Yeah, I have one you should be able to wear." He looked around at the others. "We all might want to get changed and stretched out. I know that Tommy needs a gi, anyone else?"

Hunter and Blake both shook their heads. "We actually have workout clothes in the truck, so we're good."

Wes laughed. "Same here. I guess it's habit, but Eric and I always have something with us."

Adam nodded. "So everyone go get your stuff. There are locker rooms and bathrooms you can change in before they get here."

Rocky looked at his watch. "Yeah, they should be getting here in about 15-20 minutes. That should give us all plenty of time."

Jason nodded. "All right then, let's get to it." He looked at Tommy. "Come on, my spare gi is in my locker."

Everyone dispersed to get into their workout clothes and then met back up on the mats. Jason's black gi fit Tommy well and with the addition of a red bandana as a headband, he was ready to go. "Still surprises me that I can wear your clothes now," the former Ranger Commander said to his best friend.

The paramedic snorted. "Yeah, a few years ago it would have swallowed you whole." He grinned. "Could have put you and Wes in there together with some room to spare."

"Hey!" A hand pad came across the room and nailed Jason in the head. "I resemble that remark," Wes stated, grinning at the other pair.

Picking the pad up, Jason tossed it back over to the blonde who ducked and let it hit Blake. "Sorry Blake, Blondie there ducked."

Tommy watched and laughed as he began stretching. It was fun to be around a big bunch of his friends again. His existence in Reefside was becoming more and more lonely. He briefly wondered if he could manage a transfer.

In a low voice, Jason whispered to his old friend. "Don't overdo it now, okay? We don't want you to end up in bed for a couple of days after this."

"Yes, Mom...I'll be careful," Tom said, barely able to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, I just worry about you, bro."

"I know. I do appreciate it, Rex-I really do. It's good to know that somebody cares," Tom responded, continuing to stretch.

"A lot of us care, Tom," the former Gold Ranger stated, wincing a bit himself as he stretched lower. "Damn man, been a while since I've done a lot of stretching."

Blake took that opportunity to peg Jason in the head with the hand target. "Gotcha, old man."

"I'll show you an old man, Navy bean. Just you wait," Jason said with a grin.

The younger man held his hands up and pretended to shiver in terror. "Ohhh, I'm shakin' in my gi."

"Alright girls, shut it up and get stretched out. They'll be here any minute," Rocky said, shaking his head at his friends. No sooner had he said that, then the door opened and in walked two of the students he was expecting. "Hey Jack, hey Michael-go ahead and get changed and meet us back out here."

Michael nodded. "Yes, Sensei." He headed off with the other teen to the locker rooms. Once inside, he raised an eyebrow. "Is it just me or do you think something's up?"

"Why do you say that?" Jack asked, taking a seat on the bench so that he could take his shoes off.

"Did you not notice how many guys there were out there in a gi? Besides Master Park, Sensei DeSantos and Sensei Scott, there were at least five other people."

"Yeah, I saw that. Maybe they're just gonna help out or something. Don't get your boxers in a bunch."

"True and maybe they'll be able to show us something that can make this test coming up easier."

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'm already nervous about it," Jack responded, starting to pull on his gi top. "Glad to see Master Park back though."

Michael stood up as he pulled his own top into place. "I know what you mean. I was really starting to wonder if he was going to make it back before the testing." He grabbed his belt out of the locker. "Don't get me wrong, Sensei DeSantos is cool and Sensei Scott is always willing to help, but Master Park just seems to make it all more understandable."

Jack nodded in agreement as they finished getting dressed and headed back out to the main area to start stretching.

The front door opened once more and three other students walked in, all big, strong-looking kids that would look right at home on a football field. Jason cut his eyes over at Tommy and said in a low voice, "There's our targets."

Looking up, Tom sized them up and then huffed. "I'm gonna enjoy this. I'll bet they think they're big stuff."

"Pretty much." He nodded towards the last one in line. "That's Wyatt. He's the one that Rocky wants me to deal with."

"He is quite a horse to be so young. Reminds me of someone..." he quipped, looking skyward as he grinned.

Blushing a bit, Jason gently shoved the other man. "Watch it, wise guy."

"Punish me later," Tom said with a wink and straightened up, moving into another stretch.

Zeke ran from the car and waved at his mom before rushing through the door of the dojo. He slowed when he came into the room and then his eyes widened slowly as the three older boys came out of the locker. The teen pointed at Blake and Hunter, his eyes wide. "Oh my God! It's the Bradleys!"

Wyatt, Alan, and Will looked over at him like he had two heads. "Who? What are you talking about, runt?" Alan asked in an annoyed tone.

Shaking his head, the boy pointed towards the two brothers. "Dude, how do you not know about Blake and Hunter Bradley? They like totally own the motocross circuit right now!"

"Motocross, huh? Well that's pretty cool, but you need to stop acting like such a fan boy. Grow up, will ya?" the bigger boy said, giving Zeke a push in the middle of his chest. The three of them walked away to go start stretching.

"So, who're all your friends, Sensei DeSantos?" Will asked, finding himself close to one of their instructors.

Zeke rubbed his chest as he walked away quietly. He really hated those three sometimes, especially at school where he'd been shoved into a locker by them more than once.

Rocky watched Zeke walk towards the locker room before looking at Will. "I'll introduce everyone once Zeke gets out here. Until then, I'd start stretching out if I were you."

No one had to tell Eric and Wes which ones were the troublemakers. Many years of dealing with Guardian recruits had taught them how to spot jerks like that a mile away. They had silently watched as Zeke had gotten pushed around and Eric had decided that some payback was in order. "I'm with Tommy-this is gonna be fun," he said quietly to Wes, giving him an evil look.

Wes chuckled softly. "Just remember these aren't our recruits. They have parents that might actually be concerned about them."

Adam had overheard Wyatt making some comment to his two friends about all these 'old guys' on the mats. Figuring he needed to put those boys in the right frame of mind, he got up and went behind the counter where the belts were kept.

"Oh, don't be such an old woman. I'm not gonna put 'em in the hospital or anything," Eric said. "Just gonna scare 'em a bit."

Emerging a few minutes later, Master Park walked over to Tommy and handed him a brand new black belt complete with all five red stripes that a person of Tommy Oliver's rank deserved. "I know you didn't have your belt with you, so here ya go. Hope it fits."

Looking at the size tag, Tommy grinned. "Yep, that'll work. Thanks, Adam." He quickly tied on his new belt and snapped the ends to tighten it. "That's better. I feel weird without a belt."

Blake grinned. "Know the feeling. It's kind of like being on the track and not wearing gloves. You can't get into the groove until you've got a pair on."

Alan glanced over at Will after watching Tommy put on his belt. He held up five fingers and mouthed the words, 'Fifth degree? Daaamn.'

Zeke came back out and walked over to the mats. He hesitated before going over and stopping out of the reach of the other teens. He glanced over at them as he started to stretch, making sure he stayed out of their way.

Michael shook his head as he watched Zeke. "Kid's still scared to death of those creeps."

"You would be too if you were in his place," Jack commented. "I wish someone would teach those three assholes a lesson."

"Well, maybe Wyatt will finally push Sensei Scott too far and get what's coming to him." He shrugged. "We can hope anyway."

"I don't know how the guy has the nerve. Sensei Scott is a horse and he's a fourth degree black belt. You gotta be some kinda nut to mess with a guy like that," Jack responded, finishing his stretch.

"Yeah, but has anyone ever accused Wyatt of being all there?" He finished stretching and got to his feet as Sensei DeSantos called them all to order.

As Rocky moved to the front of the dojo, the others stood as well showing the various black belts that everyone wore. Like Jason, Eric and Hunter were officially fourth degrees. Wes and Blake were both third degrees like he was and then you had Adam and Tommy. His best friend was a Master in kung fu, which was equal to Tommy's fifth degree. He grinned. _'Oh yeah, this is going to be fun.'_

Facing the students, Rocky called them to order and after everyone had bowed, he grinned before motioning the other men forward. "Today, we're going to work a little on getting you guys ready for your black belt test. I've asked a few guest instructors to come in and help identify any weak areas that you might have so we can get to work on them." He walked over to Wes, who was standing next to Blake and put a hand on both of their shoulders. "This is Commander Wes Collins from the Silver Guardians. He's a third degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do." After Wes had bowed slightly, the former Ape moved on to Blake. "Some of you already know this young man. He is Blake Bradley and like Wes, he's a third degree black belt." He motioned towards Hunter. "Hunter Bradley is a fourth degree black belt and both of their belts are in Shorin Ryu." After the brothers had bowed, Rocky moved back up the line to Eric. "This is the other person in charge of the Silver Guardians, Commander Eric Myers. He's a fourth degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do and a second degree in Aikido." He paused for a moment to let that sink in as Eric bowed slightly.

As light began to dawn in a couple of eyes, Rocky moved over to Tommy. "And this is Dr. Tommy Oliver. He is a fifth degree black belt in Toso Kune Do, a blue belt in BJJ, and has been studying Muay Thai for a bit." After Tommy bowed, the former Blue Zeo Ranger grinned. "Now, we're going to see how you guys do with a bit of warm-up before we get down to business. Ten laps around the floor."

Adam watched as the students began to jog around the room. _'I really should film this,'_ he thought as he disappeared into his office for a few minutes.

Even though he was faster than Wyatt, Will and Alan, Zeke stayed behind them. The teen was content to keep as much distance between them and himself as possible. Usually, he ran behind Michael and Jack, but today he was actually between the two sets of teens.

Blake moved closer to Hunter and nodded. "Our fan might need some confidence building."

"Could be. I think he's having problems with those three in the front, myself. Did you see him get pushed before?" Hunter answered.

"Yeah, I did. Hopefully after today things will get better for him."

After the teens were finished running, Rocky set them to finishing out their warm ups with push-ups, crunches and jumping jacks. Once everyone had finished, he spread the teens out. "Alright, we're going to work on basic stuff. I want to see your stances, punches, and blocks at their best starting with the horse stance. Ready? Move!"

While the class was running through the basics, Adam re-emerged from his office carrying his video camera. So as not to be too obvious, he set up behind the main counter and zoomed in on the action.

Jason noticed him and nudged Tommy. "Looks like we're on Candid Camera," he said, motioning towards Adam.

Once the class had moved from the basics and through several katas, Rocky stopped them and allowed them a couple of moments to catch their breath. "You have ten minutes to get something to drink and get your gear on. Go!"

After the teens were off the floor, he made his way over to the others. "So, besides Wyatt, does anyone have someone 'special' they'd like to work with? Or do you want to see them spar each other a bit first?"

"I'll take the nervous kid-I think you said his name was Jack. He reminds me of myself when I was his age," Wes replied.

"I think I'd like to work with Zeke," Blake said, looking over at Hunter who just nodded.

Jason grinned. "I've got Wyatt and I'm thinking that Tom should take Will. See how the kid likes being on the end of a Muay Thai kick for a change."

Tommy chuckled. "It'll be my pleasure. I haven't taught anyone that sort of lesson in quite a while," the science teacher laughed.

Eric grinned. "I guess that means I get the other one. Alan, right?" When Rocky nodded, the Quantum Ranger chuckled softly. "This is definitely gonna be fun."

Grinning Rocky nodded. "Oh yeah, but let's get them warmed up again with some open sparring." He looked around at the former Rangers. "Blake, why don't you take Wyatt to start things off with. Hunter can take Alan. Jase why don't you start out with Zeke. I think Wyatt shook him a little earlier and he's gonna need some re-assurance. The rest of you can pick who you want."

"I'll take Jack to start with," Eric stated, rolling his shoulders a bit.

Once the students had returned to the mats, the adults lined up with them. Master Park had left his camcorder running on the counter, attached to a tripod. He walked around the students, making sure they looked ready to go. He had just passed by Blake and Wyatt when he overheard the kid talking to Rocky.

"What on earth do you think this little guy is gonna teach me? He's half my size!" Wyatt remarked.

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "You'd do well to learn that size isn't everything, Wyatt."

"Well maybe not, but this is ridiculous. I could break him in half."

Adam struck without warning. He shot a kick to the teen's calf, deadening his leg enough to drop him a bit. As the teen started going down, Adam stepped around and drove an elbow into the unprotected solar plexus. With Wyatt now bent over, he grabbed the kid by the arm and tossed him over his shoulder. As the teen started falling towards the mat, Adam twisted a bit, forcing him downward more and slamming into the padded floor on his back.

Everyone in the room turned and stared. No one had expected that-especially the ones that knew how sick Adam had been. Slowly though, grins-most of them of the evil variety-began to appear on all of the adults' faces. Even Zeke, Jack, and Michael began to smile.

_'That was awesome,'_ Tommy thought to himself, winking at Jason who was nearby.

Adam moved into Wyatt's line of vision and glared down at him. "The next time someone tells you that it might be smart not to judge someone based on size, you might want to remember this."

Rocky chuckled softly and leaned closer to Jason. "Big boy got his butt kicked by the Frog."

"Ribbit ribbit," Jason answered in a low voice.

Wes snorted from his spot beside them and then started laughing.

Looking down at Wyatt, Adam took a step back. "Get up and prepare to spar with Sensei Bradley."

Tom heard Jason's response and couldn't help but snicker.

"Yes sir. I'm sorry, sir," Wyatt said, picking himself up from the mats. He bowed to Master Park and then turned and did the same to Blake.

Blake returned the bow and then stepped back into a fighting stance, waiting for the teen to make the first move.

As Adam walked over to where Rocky was standing, the former Ape grinned and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Way to go, Froggy."

"My students don't act like that. If he ever wants to earn a black belt from my school, he'd better adjust his attitude," Adam responded, obviously still perturbed.

"I know and personally I agree with you." He gave the other man's shoulder a squeeze. "How did it feel though? Because I've got to tell you, it looked sweet!"

In spite of his annoyance, Adam cracked a smile. "Yeah...it was pretty sweet. Looks like the others enjoyed it too."

"Oh they did, and just think, it's all on tape." Rocky gave his friend's shoulder another squeeze. "Seriously though, are you okay? It's been a while since you've done something like that and I know Jase said your back was sore."

"No, I'm fine-at least for now. I might feel that later, though," Adam said with a grin.

"I imagine you will." The former Ape groaned as he watched Blake send Wyatt to the ground with a wicked round kick to the head. "Oh, that's gonna leave a mark."

"Bet he won't talk crap about us little guys anymore after this," Adam said with a laugh.

"Don't know about that." The other man replied, watching as the teen slapped away Blake's hand before getting to his feet alone. "I can't wait to see Jase give him a go."

"Oh yeah, that's gonna be entertaining. Personally, the match-up I'm anxious to see is Tommy and Will. That boy thinks he knows some Muay Thai..." He paused and rubbed his thigh. "I'm here to tell you that he's in for it."

"You know, the way everyone keeps talking about his kicks now, I don't think I want to spar with our Falcon anymore."

"Your best bet would be to take him to the ground, but you gotta be careful of his back." Adam stopped and watched a bit of the action. Times like these it was difficult to recall how bad Tommy's pain could get at times. He was moving very well today-almost like he did before the injury.

"You mean get him with some BJJ instead of trying to take him on standing up?" He watched as Tom sparred with Michael, occasionally pointing things out to the teen.

"Yeah cause he's a striker and always has been, but bro...all that muscle he's put on...he'll break you in half with those kicks. You know how accurate he is."

"Oh, I definitely remember that. Between him and Jason with the aerials and you with all your sneaky-sneaky crap, I think I spent more time on the mats than the three of you combined."

The former Black Ranger had to chuckle. "Yeah you did, didn't ya? But ya know, you've done a lot of training since then."

"I'd done a lot before then, but sparring against people aside from you and 'Sha was something new for me. We got lots of practice though and the training that I got into after I hurt my back has helped a lot." He winced when he saw Jack land a badly-timed kick to Eric's groin. "Aw, damn... that's gotta hurt."

Eric waved the kid off as he straightened slowly. Normally, when he sparred with the cadets, he didn't wear a cup. Today was different and something had told him that the little piece of plastic might be needed. "Just remember that a misplaced or badly-timed kick can be distracting for both you and your opponent."

"Yes, Sensei. Sorry," Jack said, backing off a bit from the Guardian Commander.

"Don't worry about it. Just make sure that all your kicks and punches count."

Jason stopped Zeke after the boy made a few more half-hearted attempts to kick him. "Zeke, take a break and sit down with me." He took a seat on the edge of the mats away from the others. "Talk to me kiddo, what's going on?"

"I don't know, Sir. I guess I'm just a bit...intimidated," the teenager said in a low voice, diverting his eyes from Jason's gaze.

"You know that any time someone's giving you problems that you can come to any of us, right?"

"I know. I just feel like such a pansy doing that. Here I am about to test for my black belt...I should be able to take care of myself, shouldn't I?" The kid shook his head and lowered his eyes again.

Reaching out, Jason lifted the boy's chin a bit. "Hey, just because you're choosing to live by the martial arts creed, doesn't mean you deserve to get picked on."

"The ones that are doing it hassle me at school too. Just because I'm smaller and a little bit younger than them...why do they have to do that? I've never done anything to them," Zeke said in a low voice, afraid that one of the three might overhear.

Jason looked over and made eye contact with Rocky, nodding towards the office and then stood up. "Come on, let's go chat in private, okay?"

Zeke nodded and stood up, following his sensei off the mats and toward the other room. He knew better than to glance back at the source of his unrest lest they catch on that he might be talking about them.

Once in the office, Jason handed the teen a bottle of Gatorade. "Whatever you say in here will be between us, but if I think it warrants it, I will tell the other Senseis."

"And if they find out that I said anything about them or how they treat me, it'll be worse on me." He paused for a moment. "They just push me around a little and make fun of me, that's all."

"They shouldn't be though and they know that." He grinned a little. "Just so you know, they might be getting a taste of their own medicine tonight."

"Really?" Zeke asked, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face. "That's cool."

"Thought you might like that." Jason leaned forward a bit. "And Zeke, if you ever want to talk, even if what they're doing is at school and not here, you can still come to one of us."

"Thanks, Sensei Scott. I appreciate that. I just might take you up on that one of these days."

"You're welcome." He stood up. "Okay, so let's get back out there and try again, okay? Then I think you're going to be working with the Bradleys."

"Seriously? That's awesome," the boy said with more than a little excitement in his voice.

"Then let's get back out there and make sure you're warmed up so you don't hurt yourself."

Together they walked back out to the main area and bowed before stepping onto the mats. When Zeke and Jason began working together again, the teenager seemed to relax more and was definitely having more success at landing his strikes and kicks.

"Seems like Jason was able to get Zeke to relax a bit." Rocky stated, watching the teen before glancing over at the clock. "Couple more minutes and then we'll have them swap." He grinned at Adam. "Time for the fun."

Adam chuckled softly. "Can't wait. This is gonna be good."

"Oh yeah, and they all deserve this as well."

The former Blue Zeo Ranger let them spar for a few more minutes. "Stop! Bow to your partners!" After everyone had complied, he nodded. "Now, I've got some match ups to see how well you really know your stuff." He looked over at Will. "You're going to be with Sensei Oliver. Alan, you and Sensei Myers will be paired up for this round." He grinned at Zeke. "Zeke, you get two in the form of Sensei Bradley."

Wes chuckled softly as the kid flushed a deep red and seemed to bounce in place.

Grinning, Rocky looked over at the blond. "Jack, you will be working with Sensei Collins. Sensei Scott will be working with you today, Wyatt." He nodded at Michael. "You'll be working with me today."

Most everyone nodded and then moved over to their partner for the next round. When Master Park gave the command, everyone bowed to their opponent and hit their fighting stance.

Rocky grinned at Michael. "Just show me what you've been learning, okay? This isn't a test for you today."

Eric raised an eyebrow when the teen in front of him slapped the mat before getting to his feet again. "Don't let your temper control your actions. If you keep a clear head, you'll fair better in the end."

When the teen rushed him, Eric was ready for it and tossed him easily over his shoulder before backing off a bit. He knew that talking to this kid wasn't going to do any good at this point. Once the teen was back on his feet, they traded several blows until Alan grabbed Eric by the belt and jerked him into an elbow. The blow would have struck the Guardian Commander in the face if he hadn't ducked at the last moment and drove both his hands into the kid's stomach.

With a growl, Alan lashed out, grabbing the inside of Eric's thigh and twisting while jerking down.

The former sergeant reacted instinctively and brought his knee up into the teen's chest and drove him backwards onto the mat before putting him into an arm bar and holding it.

For several moments, Alan tried to figure out how to get out of the hold. When his opponent increased the torque on his arm, he tapped out before laying there on the mat. It was the first time anyone had been able to get the best of him and he didn't exactly like how it felt.

Getting to his feet, Eric moved to stand beside the teen and offered him a hand to get up. "Never give into your anger and go against what you've been taught. Once you do, you'll always lose."

Alan took the other man's hand and got to his feet, straightening his gi. He looked at Eric and gave a small bow. "I'll try to remember that, sir."

Returning the bow, Eric moved over to take a seat beside Blake and Hunter, who along with Zeke, were watching Jason against Wyatt and Tommy going against Will. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good. Interested in how these two matches are gonna turn out," Blake said with a grin.

"Oh I'm sure." He winced as Jason swept the teen he was fighting to the floor. "That smarts."

"Like I was saying, I think Jase is the perfect one to teach Wyatt how to, ummm...control his strength," Rocky said in a quiet voice as he and Michael joined them.

Looking down at the teen, Jason reached a hand out to help him up.

Wyatt looked up at the hand and reached for it. Once he had a hold of it, he jerked down and kicked out, catching his Sensei in the thigh with a hard sidekick.

"That's just dirty," Hunter remarked, surprised at the audacity of the kid.

His brother nodded in agreement as they continued to anxiously watch the action.

Grunting, the paramedic allowed himself to fall in the direction that he was pulled. Tucking into a roll, he crossed over the teen before regaining his feet on the other side as Wyatt kipped back up with a smirk on his face.

Shaking his head, Jason sighed. "You keep playing dirty Wyatt, and you'll be answering to Master Park." He moved in again with a series of kicks and caught the teen off guard with his tornado kick, which sent the teen to the floor once again. This time when he landed, Jason kept his distance and rubbed at his thigh.

Adam couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Nobody throws a tornado kick like Rex-it's his signature."

Rocky nodded. "It's like the triple spin kick that Tommy does...or used to do, anyway."

"He doesn't do aerials much anymore, he told me. He just sticks to the Thai kicks that land like a sledgehammer," Adam commented.

Wyatt slammed his hands into the mat and got back to his feet. His anger got the best of him as he managed to get in close to his teacher and started throwing blows that lacked any sort of control.

The Original Red Ranger realized that the kid was beyond pissed and blocked as much as he could, but still caught a few shots. When Jason saw an opening, he took it and dropped the kid to the mat by putting him in a headlock. "You will tap out or you'll pass out. The choice is yours."

Blake shook his head. "Kid had that coming. I hope he taps 'cause Jase ain't playin'."

Growling, the teen tried to break the hold and elbowed the older man hard in the ribs. He grinned wickedly at the grunt he got for his efforts and was about to try again when the hold he was in tightened considerably.

"I said you will tap out or pass out. Try that again and I will make sure you pass out." The words were practically growled as Jason adjusted his position to give himself better leverage, but didn't slacken his hold.

"Your choice, Wyatt, but I've never yet seen anyone get out of Sensei Scott's headlock-and he's taken down much bigger men than you," Rocky advised from where he was standing at the edge of the mat, observing.

Spots were dancing in front of Wyatt's eyes and the edges of his vision were starting to darken when he finally tapped. As he knelt there regaining his breath, he felt a tug at his waist.

Standing up, Jason folded the belt he'd removed from the teen's waist. "You're going to have to re-earn this and exactly what all that entails will be up to Master Park. Once you've caught your breath, you can go get changed." Slowly, Jason walked over to the edge and bowed off the floor before taking a seat next to Adam. "Figured you might want this." He handed Wyatt's belt to the other man.

Taking the offered belt, Adam held onto it and shook his head. "I thought I had taught him better than that. I apologize for his insolence."

"He's still learning, Adam, and this anger of his is something relatively new. Give him a couple of weeks to think about things and then sit down and talk to him. There might be a reason for it." He raised his left arm a bit and ran his right hand over his ribs on the left. "Have to admit that I'm glad he went off on me and not one of the other students."

"No kiddin'. You okay?"

"I'll probably have a few bruises, but I don't think he got me bad enough to break anything."

"Good. And you're right...there may be something fueling that anger. I'll talk to him after he's had time to think things over."

"So, now on to Tommy and his victim," Eric said with a bit of a chuckle.

"Should be entertaining. Apparently, this kid thinks he knows some Muay Thai," Wes remarked.

Jason snorted as he removed his gi top and replaced it with a tank. "Yeah well, first time Tom connects, the kid's gonna know that he was wrong."

Tommy watched Will as the kid moved around the mat before slipping in and landing a Thai kick to the teen's thigh. He was only going about 20 percent, which was appropriate for a teaching sort of sparring session.

Even though the legendary Ranger was taking it easy on the kid, the snap of his gi and the pop of the kick as it landed was enough to raise several eyebrows. "Ouch," Zeke said, speaking for the first time since he'd sat down to watch. "That sounded like it hurt."

Blake chuckled softly. "Yeah, sometimes the sound is worse than the actual blow, but from what I've heard, I'd say they're about equal."

Will winced slightly, but didn't let the blow deter him from attacking. He managed to get in close and landed two quick, hard kicks to the man's thigh. While Sensei Oliver might be pulling his kicks, Will had no intention of doing so. He'd heard the other sparring matches and had no intentions of losing to this old man.

With a slight frown, Tommy kept quiet after the teen's kicks had landed. _'Okay, so he's not wanting to pull. Let's see if it was just a fluke.'_ With a right reverse punch as a feint, the former Green Ranger was able to get within striking range and once again delivered a quick, controlled strike to the teen's thigh.

"Okay, Tommy's pulling and Will isn't. If he pisses Falcon off enough, he's gonna wish he'd stayed home tonight," Jason remarked, looking at Adam.

Adam snorted and put a hand on his own thigh. "Think I don't know that? The bruise he gave me is almost gone, finally." The former Frog leaned over so that only Jason could hear. "And if he purposely hurts Tommy...he'll never get a black belt from my school."

"Tom'll be alright, Froggy. He's feeling pretty good today-don't worry," the Original Red Ranger replied.

Will flinched as the blow connected, but he continued, determined to prove that he was better than the man in front of him. He threw a couple of aerial kicks before landing close enough to slam home a Thai kick to Tommy's left leg before switching tactics and sweeping the right. The combined actions sent the older man to the ground.

For a moment, the former Ranger Commander laid there, stunned. Then he climbed to his feet once again and looked at the teen. "You know, dojo courtesy demands that you show a senior belt respect. As a senior belt, I'm supposed to fight at your level, but since you refuse to pull your kicks like you're supposed to, I think it's only fair that you understand exactly why such rules are in place."

Shaking his head, the teen practically sneered at him. "Yeah well, you don't have much you can teach me, old man."

With a soft sigh, Tommy shook his head. "If that's what you think." He moved quickly, showing no sign of the pain or weaknesses that sometimes crippled him. A flurry of punches drove the teen back and was quickly followed by two round kicks and a hook kick. As the teen started to regain his balance, he threw a helicopter kick. Once Tommy landed, he gave the kid two hard Thai kicks, one to each leg at about 60 percent.

Will's eyes widened in disbelief before he was sent crashing to the mat, both his legs numb and unable to support him any longer.

Both Jason's and Adam's eyes opened a bit wider as the former Gold Ranger covered his mouth with his hand. "Damn...that's my boy!" he said, shaking his head.

"Oh crap, get 'im, Tom," Eric mumbled, glancing at Wes whose eyebrows were up at hairline level.

Tommy looked down at the teen, who was still lying on the mat. "Never judge someone by their age. With age comes wisdom and knowledge, plus more experience. You'd do well to remember that." He reached a hand down to help the teen up.

For a moment, Will thought about refusing the assistance, but then he took a page from Wyatt's book and grabbed the offered hand. As he was being pulled up, Will lunged at Tommy, driving them both to the floor once again.

The teen glared at the man beneath him as he used an elbow strike to give him a bit of distance and started sitting up. "When I want lessons from an old man, I'll talk to my father."

Adam started to get up and go after the kid himself, but Jason pushed him back down. "Tom can handle him-just watch."

Knowing that talking to this kid was useless, Tommy shook his head and moved quickly. He brought his hands up and grabbed the kid behind the head. Pulling him forward and down, Tom bucked his hips upwards and twisted, tossing the kid to the mat before moving quickly and pinning the kid to the mat from the mount position. It was easy from there to swing his legs off to the side and pull the teen into a choke hold. "I'd tap out if I were you, because unlike Sensei Scott, this will be your only chance to do so."

Even as the man spoke, Will could feel the hold tightening and he panicked. After thrashing for a couple of minutes, he repeatedly slapped his hand onto the mat, signaling his surrender.

With a last squeeze, the original Green Ranger let his opponent go and climbed to his feet. Like Jason, he removed the kid's belt and after bowing off the mat, took it over to Adam. He raised his eyebrow at seeing the former Frog already had one. "Jason or Eric?"

Back over with the spectators, Jason nodded appreciatively and grinned. "Told ya. And you were worried..." he said to Adam, patting his leg a couple of times.

"Jason, as a matter of fact," Adam responded to his friend. "Will, go get changed and I want to see you, Wyatt, and Alan before you leave. Understand me?"

Will nodded as he climbed slowly to his feet and bowed towards Adam. He limped towards the edge of the mat and bowed again before making his way to the locker room to change.

Rocky waited until the teen was out of sight and turned to the other three. "Go back to the private dojo and you guys can talk about this back there, okay? Someone will come get you once they've left so you can get changed."

Grinning, Wes stepped closer to the others. "Why don't we let these guys watch as some of us go at each other? Let them see how people besides their teachers fight."

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I'm up for it," Eric replied, looking around at the other men. Tommy, Jason, and Rocky all nodded, but Adam held his hand up. "Count me out-I'm not up to it yet. I'll just man the camcorder."

"Alright, that'll work. Who's fighting who?" Rocky asked with a grin.

For a moment no one said anything and then Adam grinned. "How about Eric versus Tommy and Jase goes against Wes?" He looked at his old friend. "Then you can take on the winner of either match."

"Works for me," Rocky said, hoping he didn't end up sparring Tommy. "I don't want to find out for myself what those kicks feel like," he said quietly.

Jason slapped Rocky on the back as he walked out towards the mats. "Don't worry Rocko, it only hurts for a bit." He winked at the other man before stepping onto the floor and gesturing for Wes to join him.

Eric stepped over beside Tommy and motioned for the former commander to go ahead of him. "Age before beauty," he said with a grin, bowing slightly.

"That's true-you're older than me, though. After you, 'old man'," Tommy quipped, still slightly miffed at being called that by a teenager.

Hunter grinned. "I'll take you on Rocky. Be nice to see how much you forgot since you left and joined up with these guys."

The former Thunder Ranger shook his head. "I'd better not push it. The only reason Hunter and I were able to make it is because I'm recovering from a strained knee and sprained ankle from a race last week. I wiped out pretty hard," Blake said.

"Oh, okay. That's cool. You alright?"

"Yeah, but if I get out there and let loose I'm liable to push things too much." He grinned. "As it is, this is the most I've done all week."

"Glad you're alright," Adam responded. "Okay guys, go ahead and beat each other up. Just don't bleed all over my mats, okay?" he said, turning and heading over to where the video camera was set up.

The teenagers looked at each other with wide eyes, not knowing whether their teacher was being serious or not.

"Aw, but where's the fun in that?" Jason asked, winking as Wes joined him on the mats.

"Seriously. If somebody doesn't end up unconscious it hasn't been much of a fight...or party," Eric said with a chuckle.

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Are you volunteering to be that person?"

"Oh shut up and fight, Oliver. I got a couple of moves I've been wanting to try on you anyway," Eric quipped, quickly falling into his fighting stance.

Rolling his eyes, the former Ranger Commander moved into a stance of his own. Without warning, he gave a loud 'ki-yah' and feigned a back fist to Eric's head only to drive a 50 percent Thai kick into the Guardian Commander's thigh instead.

Blake chuckled softly from where he sat beside Adam. "I'm so glad I'm not out there on the other end of those kicks."

"No kiddin'-my thigh still hurts and it's been a couple weeks since we sparred. It's all in the angle of the kick and the power behind it. And with those tree trunk thighs of his, power is not an issue," Adam stated.

Eric raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Not bad." Inside, he was saying something different_. 'Holy shit! Jason wasn't kidding when he said there was power there. My thigh's not gonna be the same for a week!'_ Determined to not be outdone, Eric dropped to one knee and did a spinning sweep only to have Tommy jump over his leg. As the former White Ranger was coming down, however, the Quantum Ranger struck out with an inside-outside crescent kick followed by a back fist to the head, which he pulled slightly before stepping back out of reach.

He grinned at the older man. "Well, the old man has some moves after all." Jumping up, Tommy snapped off a front kick before landing and jumping up again to do a spinning round kick.

"Tell me something, Adam," Blake started, speaking so that only the former Black Ranger could hear. "I've heard a little bit about Tommy being injured during his last stint of 'duty'. I've been told that his condition is getting worse. Is that right?"

With a soft sigh, Adam nodded. "He has his good days and bad days, although it's kind of obvious that today is one of the good ones."

"I'll say. Okay, I was just wondering. He certainly doesn't act like he's in much pain-though Commander Myers there might change that," Blake commented with a grin.

"I wouldn't put Tommy as down for the count just yet." He grinned at the younger man. "He's still playing by the rules."

"Does the great Tommy even know how to fight dirty? I can't imagine it..." he asked with a wink.

"Oh yeah, although he usually only does that with Jason. He'll pull it out if he thinks it's necessary."

"Now Jason strikes me as someone who would be a sneaky fighter-do whatever was necessary to win." He stopped and thought for a second. "Though I have to say, I'll bet all of them would do that, now that I think about it."

"If the situation warrants, any of us can be sneaky fighters," Adam replied with a grin. "Just remember that, Junior."

The Guardian Commander arched an eyebrow at the jump front kick, but had to almost drop all the way to the floor to avoid the second kick. As he started to straighten up, he was nailed with a double punch to the chest and he groaned. "Okay, now I know why people don't want to piss you off."

"You had doubts?" Tommy asked Eric with a grin as they were circling.

"Well, some things can be exaggerated, especially with age you know." He winked at the younger man before launching into a series of spinning kicks that stopped as Tommy caught his leg and delivered a numbing hammerfist to his thigh.

"Is that legal, Master Park?" Jack asked, looking up at his sensei.

"It is, but it's not something that's really taught." He met the teen's eyes. "But it is not something that will be used in this dojo on each other, clear?"

"Yes sir," the boy answered, the other two nodding. Zeke and Michael had been wondering the same thing.

Tommy released Eric's leg and stepped back, watching as the Quantum Ranger limped a bit. "Call it a draw?"

Sighing, the other man nodded. "Yeah, this time." He shook a finger at the original Green Ranger. "But I want a rematch the next chance we get."

"You're just dying for me to make you tap, aren'tcha?" Tommy laughed, wiping sweat from his brow.

"I don't know about that, but I'd like to see what you can do fresh and not having taught some punk a lesson."

Tom grinned and nodded. "Okay, you can have your rematch. Come by my place in Reefside and I'll kick your butt for ya."

"We'll have to see about that." Eric moved closer to the other man. "Now, what's this I hear about you wanting to give me a shot?"

It took Tommy a moment to get Eric's drift. His mind was on sparring. When he realized what the Guardian Commander was referring to, he immediately blushed. "Wes been running his mouth, huh? I didn't mean it that way."

"Oh really? Exactly how did you mean it?" He grinned wickedly. "Because like Wes said, arrangements can be made."

"Sounds like you're the one that's interested, Commander. I gotta warn you though, you might not ever be able to go back to Blondie there," Tom replied in a sultry voice.

Eric looked over at Wes, watching as his lover ducked a kick aimed at his head by Jason and delivered a sweep in return that sent the Original Red Ranger to the floor. "I don't know about that. I'm kind of addicted to him."

Tom chuckled. "That's good. I've always thought you two made a good couple. Now, let's watch my boy kick your boy's ass, alright?" He grinned mischievously at Eric, knowing that Wes was a very capable fighter.

"You do realize that you might be icing down that big beast of yours tonight, right? Because Wes might look to be all nice and polite, but the boy can get dirty when he needs to."

"Well, you'd know..." Tommy said with a chuckle, playfully giving Eric a push. "We'll see, we'll see."

Getting back to his feet, Jason quirked an eyebrow. "Now, that's a move I recognize from your partner. Should I assume that he's taught you more of his 'bad habits'?"

The Red Time Force Ranger grinned. "Well, I guess that depends on how much you like eating mat, huh?"

"So who do ya like in this match-up?" Adam asked Blake.

"Hmmm, that's a good question. Jason is awfully strong but fast for his size. Wes is pretty slippery, though."

Shaking his head, the paramedic chuckled softly. "Man, Eric has really corrupted you over the years." He grinned before launching a series of kicks at the blond.

Ducking the first one, Wes back flipped out of the way of the rest before blocking a punch of Jason's and delivering a hard strike of his own to the man's solar plexus.

Jason grunted, but instead of stepping back, he wrapped his arms around Wes and took the younger man to the floor.

Wes grunted as he hit the floor and had Jason land on top of him. A misplaced elbow drove the rest of the air from the Guardian Commander and he hurriedly tapped the mat.

Hearing the tap, Jason moved off the other man and sat up only to frown as Wes curled up on his side. "You okay?"

The blond nodded and managed to squeak out. "Yeah, I'm okay. Elbow just landed in the wrong place."

Blushing the paramedic looked over at Eric. "Hey man, mind helping me get your partner up?"

Tommy started moving toward them as well. "He okay?"

Jason blushed slightly. "Think I caught him with an elbow in a slightly delicate area."

Wes just nodded from where he lay on the mats.

Adam wanted to go over there as well, but he'd heard what Jason had said and didn't want to add to any embarrassment. "Oooh, that's gonna hurt for a while," he said to Blake in a low voice.

Blake nodded. "No kidding. I've got a few there and it's never a pleasant thing."

The blond looked up as Eric knelt beside him. "Next time, I'll wear a cup, but honestly, how often does an ox fall on me and happen to land there?"

Eric chuckled and pushed Wes' hair back out of his face. "That's the kind of luck you have. Feel like you can get up now?"

"I'm going to need some help, but yeah, I think I can manage it now." He sighed softly and looked over at Jason. "Although, I don't think I'm going to ask you to a rematch anytime soon."

Laughing, Jason nodded at Eric. Together they slowly helped Wes to his feet. "Can't say that I really blame you for that."

Meanwhile, Hunter had been playing around more than he was seriously sparring with Rocky. So when the older man threw two feints at his head, the Crimson Ranger ducked and on his way back up stuck his tongue out at the former Ape.

Over on the sidelines, Blake was watching his brother and shaking his head. "He's so cocky. I hope Rocky cleans his clock."

Rocky rolled his eyes and stepped back. With a grin, he dropped towards the mat and as Hunter started to move, he came back up with a jump kick that made the blond duck.

Grinning, Hunter was getting ready to say something about Rocky being predictable when another feint to his head made him duck only to catch a backhand to the face as he straightened back up. After it landed, he could only stare in disbelief at the man in front of him, who completed the move by tweaking Hunter's nose.

Patting the kid on the back, Rocky grinned at him. "Better learn some new moves for next time, Rookie." Chuckling softly, he made his way off the mats and over towards the others.

Rocky looked over towards the office and noticed Wyatt, Will and Alan standing there. He nodded at Adam. "I feel for you man."

"Why? This isn't going to bother me at all," the former Black Ranger said, walking purposefully toward the door of his office.

Tommy's eyebrows went up as he watched Adam walk by. "Those kids are in trouble," he said quietly to Jason who was standing nearby.

Jason nodded. "Considering you and I stripped the belts off of two of them and the other one smarted off to Eric? Yeah, I'm glad I'm not in there with them."

"They sure picked a bad time to screw up. Froggy is in no mood for this crap," Tommy replied, heading toward the locker room.

The paramedic nodded. "That they did." He looked back at Wes, blushing slightly. "You doing okay there Collins?"

The blonde in question looked up at the man and nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. Might not be into doing much of anything tonight, but we'll see."

While they were all in the locker room changing, Jason looked around and then made a suggestion. "Hey guys, why don't we all go out to eat somewhere for dinner? There's a great steak place not too far from here."

Blake shook his head. "We can't. A couple of friends of ours are going to be in town and we're meeting them tonight."

Eric looked over at Wes, who nodded. "Sounds like a plan." He looked at the bruise he had developing on his thigh from Tommy and raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in those legs, man? Iron?"

Tom laughed. "No, no iron. It's all about power and precision."

"Yeah, Tom has always had incredible aim with his kicks. I can't tell you how many bruises he's put on me over the years," Jason added. "But yeah, let's do the dinner thing. I think Adam would enjoy it."

Rocky nodded. "Personally, I think it'd do him good to go out with all of us." He grinned. "Besides, I'm hungry."

Jason tossed his damp tank top at him. "Now why does that not surprise me?"

"Yeah, going out with the guys would help him, I think. He needs to know that he's still got lots of friends," Tommy added, pulling off his shirt and raising an eyebrow at the looks he was getting. "What?"

Blake's eyebrows were trying to climb into his hairline. "Dude! When did you get all those?" He moved to get a better look at the one on Tommy's back. "Man, that tiger is sic!"

Eric nodded. "Got to agree with the kid, that's some pretty cool ink."

"Thanks. I have a good artist up in Reefside. I've been working on these for a couple of years now. Guess I forgot that you guys haven't seen them," Tom said, looking over at Jason.

The former Gold Ranger winked at him. "All right guys, we'd better finish up or we're never gonna get seats." He stood up, tucking his shirt in. "And I for one want to get there before all their house cut porterhouse steaks are gone."

"Alright, let's get moving then. I could use a good glass of wine about now anyway," Eric said, sitting down to tie his shoes.

"I'm with ya there. Adam shouldn't be much longer, I wouldn't think," Tommy replied.

Rocky shook his head. "Not tonight anyway. I can see him leaving them with something to think over for a few days, if not a couple of weeks."

Everyone nodded in agreement and started leaving the locker room, talking amongst themselves. Just as Tommy and Jason were walking through the door, Adam came in to get changed. "Everything go okay, bro?" Tom asked.

He took a seat on the bench and sighed softly. "Yeah, but I don't think I've ever been as disappointed in someone as I am those three."

"They're just young and full of themselves, Froggy. This could be a good learning experience for them," Jason suggested.

"That's right. They need to learn that they can't get away with that kind of behavior. Better to learn it here than in the street," Tom added.

"Yeah, I guess it's just that they are some of my senior students. Makes me wish I'd been the one to train them from the start and not taken them on halfway through, you know? Maybe if I'd had them from the start, they would have more respect for all of this." He finished changing and stood up. "So what's the plan for the rest of the night?"

"Well, we all decided to go out for dinner. Figured we'd head over to LeBaron when we leave here. You up for it?" Jason asked.

"I could definitely go for something to eat and a steak sounds just about right."

"Excellent. Rocky, Eric, and Wes are going too. Should be a lotta fun," Tom said with a grin and held the locker room door open for the other two.

-O-o-O-

Jason shook hands with Eric one last time before climbing into the SUV. The dinner had been fun and everyone had enjoyed themselves. They'd made plans to go up to Reefside for a bar-b-que at Tommy's after school let out. It'd be a chance for everyone else to meet the team the former Ranger Commander had mentored. Buckling his seatbelt, he sighed softly. "That was a nice way to wrap up the day."

"Yeah, it was. I'm glad we could all go out like that," Tommy agreed, getting settled in the front seat.

Nodding as he yawned, Adam agreed with them. "Oh yeah, and I want to thank you both for helping make this a better birthday than I've had in years."

Tommy turned as much as he was able. "You're very welcome. Glad you enjoyed yourself," he said with a smile.

"Just glad that I was able to actually go without falling asleep in my plate."

The paramedic chuckled softly. "You did seem to start getting a little tired towards the end."

"Mmm hmmm, I am tired. Shouldn't have any trouble sleeping tonight," Adam said with a soft chuckle.

"You know that if you need anything, you can come into my room at any time, right?" Jason looked at the other man in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, I know," he responded, yawning again.

Tommy grinned over at Jason. "So this get-together we have planned should be fun. Gotta remember to invite everybody."

"Oh yeah, gotta let everyone meet your rookies." He grinned. "It'll also allow those who still haven't met yet to do it in a friendlier manner than how some of us have gotten to know each other."

"Yeah, that's true. I wonder how we could get Kyle to do some cooking for us without having to tell him exactly what it's for?" Tom asked with a grin.

"I still think you should have a talk with that boy, find out exactly what he knows." Jason laughed softly. "Because I'm sorry, there is no way that he picked that hoodie out for Adam by coincidence alone."

"I agree it was weird, but how in the world would he know anything, Jase? I certainly haven't told him and I can't see my kids telling him either. Kira, Trent, and the others know better."

"I don't know, but that boy knows something." He was quiet for a moment. "How smart is he?" He glanced over at Tommy for a moment. "I mean, could he have put stuff together? You did say that he used to live in Angel Grove at one point."

"Yeah, he lived here but he was really young at the time. But he's very smart-very perceptive. I guess it's possible that he could have put two and two together," Tommy said with a shrug.

"Yeah well, at least he got something Adam likes. From the way you've talked about him at times, I was kind of worried."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," the former Ranger Commander said, trying to change the subject. "What did you think of that Cabernet Sauvignon? I'd like to have a bottle of that myself."

"It was definitely better than that California Red he offered us first. Makes me glad that Wes and Eric were there. I liked that port Wes suggested towards the end a bit better."

"I'd love to get into the Collins' wine cellar. There's no telling what kind of gems you'd find in there," Tom grinned. "You got any good wine at home?"

He shook his head. "Haven't had any alcohol in the place for a while. I was actually planning on picking some up the night we brought Adam home to my place."

"Well, probably a good thing. I guess we can have some of Kyle's coffee when we get back to your place." He turned and spoke towards Adam. "Whatcha think, Froggy? Want some 'Kyle Surprise'?"

When there wasn't an answer, Jason glanced back at their friend and then chuckled softly. "Don't think he's gonna answer you, bro."

Tom managed to turn enough to see the one who had gone quiet. Adam was leaned against the door, head against the glass, mouth open slightly, sound asleep. The former White Ranger laughed. "I guess we wore him out. Poor guy."

"Well, he didn't get a nap in today and he was busier than he's been in a couple of weeks." He grinned at Tommy. "Guess it's just you and me for coffee and maybe some of that leftover chocolate mousse cake."

"Mmmmm, chocolate," Tommy chuckled. "I can do that."

"Thought you might be able to." The rest of the drive was made in silence. Pulling into his place, Jason got out and handed his keys to Tom. "No sense in waking him up. I'll just carry him if you'll get the doors for me."

"No problem." Tommy got out and helped while Jason carefully picked Adam up out of the back seat and carried him up to the apartment. Once inside, they took the sleeping man directly to his bedroom and laid him down. "Wow, he is really out," Tommy said softly.

The former Gold Ranger snorted softly. "He's fallen asleep on the couch since this happened and I've done the same thing." With practiced ease, Jason started removing Adam's shoes. "Grab me a pair of sleep pants and a T-shirt for him?" As he talked, he carefully started removing his friend's clothes.

"So, how does he feel about you changing his clothes for him, hmmm?" Tommy asked, a definite note of humor in his voice.

A soft blush crept over Jason's features. "You'll find out when he wakes up, trust me."

"This should be entertaining," he said with a grin and helped Jason finish up so that they could leave the man to sleep. Once back out in the kitchen, Tom headed for the coffee maker. "Ready for some 'Kyle Surprise'?"

"Sure, but just tell me one thing: Who the hell named this coffee?"

"Hayley," Tommy said with a laugh. "She says that since Kyle won't tell her what's in it, she can't give it a proper name, so she's calling it that until he comes across with the recipe."

"Well, if him hanging up on me...twice...is any indication of how stubborn he can be, I don't see her getting it anytime soon." Moving past his best friend, Jason got down two small plates before grabbing the cake out of the fridge. "How big do you want it?"

The former Green Ranger gave a low, sultry laugh and moved up behind his sometime lover, slipping his hands around the trim waist and started heading lower. "The usual size will do me just fine," he whispered in Jason's ear and then proceeded to nip at the man's neck.

Swallowing, the Original Red Ranger leaned his head back, resting it against Tommy and exposing more of his neck to the man. "Maybe I should have asked how big of a slice of cake do you want."

"Awwww, is cake all you want? Are you sure?" Tommy asked, continuing to nip and kiss Jason's neck.

"No, but cake for now and then when we actually make it to the bed we can explore other temptations."

"You're not nearly as adventurous as you used to be, Rexy." Tom gave the man's neck one last bit of attention and then moved back so that Jason could turn around.

Raising an eyebrow, Jason turned and met Tommy's warm, chocolate eyes. "Oh really?" He stepped closer and put a hand on the other man's waist band. "How quiet do you think you can be?"

"I can be as quiet as I need to be. What did you have in mind?" Tommy asked with a leer.

"Oh, maybe a little pre-dessert treat." Leaning in, the paramedic captured his lover's warm lips while his fingers deftly undid the pants the man was wearing. Slowly, he deepened the kiss while one hand slid inside to gently stroke the awakening member.

"Mmmmm," Tommy groaned into the mouth that held his captive while his own hands began to roam a bit. He briefly thought about Adam sleeping just down the hall, but most thoughts were erased by what Jason was doing with his hands.

Hands familiar with the body in front of him eased the pants down a bit followed by the boxers that Tommy was wearing. When the former Falcon's erection was flying free, Jason sank to his knees, then leaned in and rubbed his cheek against the silky steel. He nuzzled the dark hair at the base, inhaling deeply of his lover's musky scent while one hand began to stroke up and down a toned thigh. The touch was kept light enough to tease, but not tickle as it moved upward before stroking back down.

Looking up through lash-hooded eyes, the paramedic gazed at his friend. "Watch me." Only when the chocolate eyes locked with his did Jason move again.

The former Ranger Commander inhaled sharply as the man on his knees in front of him licked his shaft from base to tip. The tongue that circled his crown before dipping into the slit was wet and warm, but none of that compared to the feeling that rushed through Tommy as Jason blew over the tip of his cock.

Hips tried to thrust forward but were held in place by one of the large hands of the Original Red Ranger. Tommy watched as his shaft slowly, ever so slowly, disappeared between Jason's lips and he groaned at the feel of his best friend swallowing him slowly.

Tommy's scent was like a drug and intoxicated Jason beyond belief. He lost himself in the pleasure of driving his lover senseless. Years of being together had taught him exactly what to do to send his tiger into overdrive and right now, the former Gold Ranger was using every bit of that knowledge.

Hands stroked toned thighs or lightly rolled softly furred sacks. Pauses to catch his breath gave him the chance to place light nips on the tender skin of the inner thighs or suckle at the sensitive skin that rested over Tommy's hipbones. With his tongue, Jason traced the vein that ran the length of the rigid member before taking the head once again into his mouth. He began to hum on the down strokes and lightly applied pressure with his teeth on the way back up.

The pleasure rippling through the former White Ranger came in waves, each one taking him higher and higher towards the peak of pleasure. When he felt the pressure ease up on his hip, Tommy began to slowly thrust into that willing mouth.

Jason moaned softly around the prize he held and brought his hands up to cup the firm buttocks, encouraging his lover. The paramedic had experience deep throating his partner and knew his limits well. At the moment, it was all about the pleasure and driving his best friend wild.

Freeing one hand, he reached into a pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small, single use package of lube and opened it. Squeezing a little onto two fingers, he easily found the puckered opening and applied pressure until he was able to slip inside.

The sudden entrance caused Tommy to slide deeper into Jason's mouth and he groaned quietly in pleasure. The dual sensations as Jason re-took control over him were exquisite. Factor in the idea that Adam could walk in on them at any time and it made for an erotic venture.

Jason began to increase the tempo of thrusts with his fingers into the man he loved, driving him towards the edge as he used his mouth as well. As he worked harder to drive his Falcon over that edge, Jason realized that it wasn't enough. Removing his fingers and releasing the cock he had been working, the paramedic stood slowly and captured the soft, warm lips once more. At the same time, he undid his own jeans and let their weight carry his boxers with them to the floor.

Before Tommy had time to complain about the loss, his mouth was captured by Jason's. Their tongues began to duel and he gasped as the former Gold Ranger quickly entered him. _'God, Jase.'_ The sensation of being filled by his lover was indefinable.

His hands grabbed at the other man's firm cheeks, seeking to drive him deeper. Grunts and moans were swallowed by breath-stealing kisses as they sought to remain as quiet as possible.

With sure movements, Jason raised one of the former Ranger Commander's legs and put it on his hip. It changed his angle of penetration and allowed him to go deeper, brushing over that inner pleasure core with each stroke.

As Jason increased his tempo again, Tommy used one hand to take hold of his own weeping shaft and began to stroke it in time with his partner's thrusts. He could feel the tingling beginning in his spine and when the other man's speed and force increased once more, it was enough to send him spiraling over the edge in ecstasy. As his orgasm hit him, the Original Green Ranger tempered his scream of pleasure by clamping down on the shaft that penetrated him deeply and kissing the man hard.

The clenching of those muscles on his cock drove Jason over the edge and he came hard, sending his essence deep into the one that had been a part of his life for years. Breaking for air, he pressed his forehead against Tommy's and grinned. "Guess we'll have to consider that a warm up for later on."

-O-o-O-

Tommy poured two cups of coffee and, after putting a little cream and sugar in each, took them over to the table that sat in front of the couch. Jason followed him with two small plates of cake and a couple of forks. "I think the couch will be more comfortable, don't you?"

Chuckling softly, Jason took a seat beside him. "Considering how hard that kitchen floor is, yeah it'll be much more comfortable."

Tommy smiled and made himself comfortable. "So...I guess I gotta go back to boring ol' Reefside tomorrow."

"Yeah well, I'm trying to figure out how to swing things so Adam isn't here alone for 14-16 hours a day when I go back to work on Monday."

"Yeah, I guess you do have to work sometime, don't ya?" Tom said, getting a nod from his best friend. "And Rocky's still helping out with the dojo. How much longer do you think Adam will need to be with someone?"

"For at least another week. Right now, it's mostly a matter of making sure he doesn't over do it and has someone there to help him out with the nightmares." He took a drink of his coffee. "I mean, he's doing better, but I'd hate for him to drift off to sleep waiting for something to heat up on the stove for dinner and it catch fire."

Tom thought for a few moments. "He can come home with me. I'm only gone for a few hours every day-I can come home for lunch if I want to. And there's always Kyle..."

Jason was quiet for a moment. "That might actually be a good idea. He opens up to you and I know that he's comfortable around you even after a nightmare." He chuckled softly. "Although I'm not sure how good of an idea it is for Adam to hang out with your rather cheeky TA."

"Oh I don't know...it might be interesting," Tom laughed. "But I've got plenty of room and I'd be glad to watch after him for a few days. Think he'll go along with it?"

"He might. We'll see how he feels tomorrow once it hits him that you're leaving." He grinned. "If he's moping about, we can always just ask him what he thinks about going to spend a week with you."

"You really think my leaving would make him mope?" Tommy asked with a grin.

"At least for a little bit." Finishing his cake, Jason set the plate aside and turned a bit to look at his friend. "Seriously Tom, you don't hound him about if he's okay, how he's feeling, is he warm enough, or any of the other things that I do. You also don't hover like Rocky tends to do." He chuckled softly. "Instead, you let him push himself until he either falls asleep or actually asks for your help. It's not something I've ever been good at. That's why I have the job that I do and I like it."

"Well, like you said, we'll see how he acts in the morning. I'd actually love to have him there. I even told him the other day that he'd be better off at my house." He thought about that and then corrected himself. "I mean as opposed to being alone at his place."

"Well, for right now, leaving him alone for long stretches just isn't something I want to do, but you're right. Him being up there with you is a great idea." He grinned as Tommy shifted and winced a little. "You okay?"

"Hmmm? Oh yeah, fine." He paused for a moment and then tilted his head and looked at Jason. "Do you always carry lube around with you in your pocket? I mean, I know you were a Boy Scout, but..." he trailed off.

Jason shrugged as he blushed slightly. "Only when I'm around you."

"Oh..." Tom started and then wasn't really sure what to say after that. He just kind of blankly stared at his lover. Finally, he gave a little shrug. "Okay."

The paramedic laughed softly. "Just be glad that I am. Otherwise, I would have had to use something in the kitchen."

Tommy wrinkled his nose and gave a little shiver. "I guess you're right. I've never been a cooking oil or butter sorta guy. Yuck."

"Those were my thoughts." He grinned. "Then again, I've been trying to figure out a way to get you alone most of the day."

"Oh have you now? Even after last night?" Tom asked, snuggling against Jason's broad chest.

"Well, we did only have the weekend." He put an arm around his best friend and held him close. "Wanted to make sure we made the most of it."

"I think we've done okay so far," Tom grinned. "We still have tonight, ya know...as long as we're quiet."

"I'm counting on it." As he spoke, Jason let a hand trail over his lover's stomach. "I'll be moping a bit when you leave."

"Well, you know how much I miss you when we're apart. We've been over that again and again." It still bothered Tommy that he and Jason couldn't be together on a regular basis, even though he understood the reasons behind it.

The paramedic nodded his head. He was getting to the point where his father's reaction to his lifestyle choice was really starting to tick him off, but at the same time he wasn't ready to cut that last string just yet.

"Promise you'll call once you two get back. I want to know you got there okay."

"Of course. You know, you really do worry too much," Tom stated and then paused. "But I appreciate it," he added with a smile.

Jason blushed softly and leaned down, placing a light kiss on the other man's lips. "Well, that's a good thing because I'd worry no matter what. I love you, Tom, and it does worry me at times you being all alone up there."

"I know, but I'm not truly alone. I have Hayley, Kyle, Kira, and Trent who keep quite a close eye on me. A little _too_ close sometimes," he grinned. "I know it's not the same as having you or one of the other guys up there, but it's something at least. I'm pretty much okay most of the time, ya know."

"Yeah, I know." He rested his head against Tommy's. "We've still got some time tonight. Anything special you wanted to do?"

"Just be together while we have time. It'll probably be a while before we can get together again," Tom sighed, tracing circles with his fingers on Jason's thigh.

"Want to stay out here or go back to my room?" He let one hand drift lazily through the other man's hair. "I miss your hair sometimes."

The former White Ranger laughed. "So you keep telling me. I think I might let it grow out-at least a little. I wonder how the school board would feel about that?"

"I think that they'll just have to get over it." He sighed softly. "Come on, let's take this stuff back to the kitchen and go to my room."

"Sounds like a good idea," Tom said with a warm smile, turning his face up so that he could place a soft kiss on Jason's waiting lips. "Let's go."

After taking their stuff back to the kitchen and putting it in the dishwasher, Jason grabbed a couple bottles of water before walking over to Tom. "Ready?"

"Definitely. I need to rock your world again before I leave," he said with a wink and a grin.

"We'll see who rocks whose world." Chuckling softly, he leaned in and gently nipped an earlobe before heading down the hall.

"We just need to remember to be as quiet as possible," he said, motioning toward the closed door of Adam's bedroom. "Don't wanna disturb Froggy there."

"I think we can manage that." Jason grinned as they entered his bedroom and shut the door with his foot before placing the water on the nightstand. Turning, he looked at Tommy. "I think it's your turn." Slowly the former Gold Ranger pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it to the side. "But what are you gonna do about it?"

Following Jason's lead, Tommy removed his own shirt slowly and unbuttoned his jeans. As he walked toward his lover, he ran a hand slowly over his own abs. "I'll have you begging before the night is over."

"I guess we'll just have to see if your actions can back up your words now, won't we?" He grinned as he undid his jeans and let them slide to the floor. Stepping out of them, he took a seat on the bed. "Come and get me."

-O-o-O-

Jason smiled softly as he lazily ran a hand through Tommy's sweat dampened locks. "Okay, so I have to admit…" he waited until the warm, chocolate eyes met his. "You definitely rocked my world that time."

Tommy smiled warmly. "Toldja. I know the combination to your safe, Rex," he chuckled.

"Yeah well, guess I had to let you remind me of that." He sighed softly. "Think we're definitely going to be feeling it a bit tomorrow." He grinned. "Not that I'm complaining."

Adam rolled over and then frowned as he opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize where he was. Shaking his head, he tossed the covers back and was surprised to find himself in sleep pants and a shirt. The former Frog snorted with annoyance and laid back. "Dammit Jason!" Getting up and to his feet, Adam started down the hall to the other bedroom and didn't think twice about opening the door.

At the sound of the door opening, Tom instinctively grabbed for the sheet and pulled it up a little higher over the two of them. "Adam...did we wake you? Are you okay?"

"I thought we'd come to an-" Adam stopped as he realized what he'd walked in on and turned beet red. "Oh damn. I'm sorry, bro."

Jason chuckled softly. "It's okay, man-don't worry about it. You pissed at me for carrying you in the house and putting you to bed?"

"Dude, that's only half of it. I thought we'd talked about the changing me as well? I mean, come on Rex." The former Green Zeo Ranger kept his gaze on Jason, determined not to notice how Tommy's shoulders seemed to be shaking or how sculpted that back was.

"Froggy...you were worn completely out and fast asleep. I just wanted you to be comfortable, so Tom and I changed your clothes so you could sleep. There was nothing improper about it," Jason replied, unconsciously still running his hands over Tommy's body.

"Yeah, we didn't mean to upset you. Just wanted you to get some rest," Tommy added.

Sighing softly, Adam nodded. "I guess it just disorients me, you know? The last thing I remembered was being in the car and the next I'm waking up in the other room with no real clue how I got there."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Won't happen again, I promise," Jason said with a smile.

Tommy rolled over, making sure that the sheet covered his hips. "What woke you up, anyway? You were sleeping so well the last time we checked on you."

He shook his head, regretting it a little as he did so. "Back started hurting a little along with my head." He blushed slightly while flashing them a crooked smile. "Putting Wyatt on his ass like that might have been fun, but it probably wasn't the smartest thing I could have done."

"Probably not, but it sure was awesome to watch," Tom smiled.

"I just can't believe that he said that to Eric and then lived."

"Do you need Jase to give you something for pain, bro?" Tommy asked, a little concerned about his friend.

"I was just going to take some Tylenol or something."

Jason shook his head as he moved to get up, keeping the sheet over his hips as he grabbed his boxers off the floor. "If it's as bad as it was the other night, Tylenol's not gonna help it."

"I think that stuff is pretty much useless. Maybe I'm just used to taking stronger stuff, but taking Tylenol is like swallowing M&Ms to me," Tom quipped.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Alright." He raised an eyebrow at the Original Red Ranger. "Sometimes, I think you get a kick out of sticking people with things."

Tommy burst out laughing at that before he could stop himself. "True...true." He shot a look at Jason and continued to chuckle.

Shaking his head, the paramedic slid his boxers on and reached over, slapping his sometime lover in the ass. "You'd best behave." Going over to his bag, he picked it up and nodded at Adam. "Let's get you settled again and I'll look at your back before I give you something for it."

Adam turned and started toward the door. "Thanks, Rex...and again, I'm sorry I bothered you guys."

Jason put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, bro. I would have felt worse about you hurting for the rest of the night than embarrassed at you walking in when you did."

"Yeah, no kidding," Tommy added. He had gotten out of bed right along with Jason and after pulling on his boxers, walked over to join them. "Besides, you really didn't interrupt anything anyway," he said with a smile and put a hand on Adam's shoulder.

The former Frog nodded as he walked down the hall. "Let me make a pit stop and I'll meet you in the room." He ducked into the bathroom to take care of business, leaving the two men alone.

Walking on into the guest room, the former Gold Ranger turned to look at Tommy. "Five minutes... if he'd walked in five minutes sooner it would have been worse." He grinned sheepishly. "Guess I really should remember to lock the door sometimes."

"Ya think?" Tom asked, but couldn't help but grin. He wasn't any better about it. "We both probably need to work on that. The guys have always said that neither one of us knows how to lock a door." He paused and started chuckling softly. "Do you realize how many times we've been walked in on over the years?"

Jason ran a hand through his hair. "Way too many to count."

"Uh huh," Tom said, still laughing. He looked up as Adam came in. "So where are you hurting, Froggy?"

The other man snorted. "Same place as last night. It's almost as bad as last night. Think not doing much all this time and then moving as quick as I did probably wasn't a good thing." He walked over to the bed and gingerly stretched out on it face down.

"Another pain killer/muscle relaxer cocktail, Jase?" Tom asked, looking over at the paramedic.

"Probably, but I need to see how tight it is so I can judge the dose." He took a seat next to Adam on the bed. "I'm going to do the same thing as last night. When I get done, I want you to rate the pain for me, okay?" When he got a small nod, Jason started.

Tommy stood nearby watching Adam's face. He could tell from his friend's expression that he was definitely in pain. Every time Adam winced, Tommy did too. "I know how you feel, man-believe me."

When Jason pushed on one spot, Adam hissed and flinched away a bit. "Damn! Okay, that just jacked it up to a seven."

"It's a little warm to the touch there, but I don't think it's anything serious. I know you might not want to, but over the next couple of days you're going to have to start stretching out a bit. Slow stretches so you don't pull anything plus a bit more protein and potassium."

Taking note of what Jason was advising, Tommy nodded. He was going to insist that Adam come home with him the next day, regardless of how much the man might protest about 'being a burden'. There was no way he was going to let his friend go home to that lonely little apartment by himself.

Sighing softly, Adam turned his head and looked at Jason. "Great, my favorite combo." He glanced at Tommy. "I know that Jase keeps some muscle rub around here, think you can grab it for me?"

"Sure, I'll be right back," the former White Ranger said, walking out and heading for the bathroom. He was sure that he'd seen it in the medicine cabinet the last time he'd come down to visit.

Jason reached into his bag and drew up a dose that was more muscle relaxer than painkiller. "Alright Adam, this time it's more of the muscle relaxer. I think part of the pain is coming from the fact that your muscles are so tight. If they'll relax, then I think it'll help the pain, but I did add some painkiller as well." Jason grabbed an alcohol wipe and looked at his friend. "I'm gonna put it in your hip again, but on the other side."

The former Green Zeo ranger nodded and watched as his friend moved around to the other side of the bed. He barely felt it as the needle slid home and Adam sighed softly. "Thanks for doing all of this, Jason."

The paramedic capped the used syringe and put it in his bag to dispose of later. "You'd take care of me if I needed it, Adam. And you have before, so I'm just returning the favor." He gently tousled the younger man's hair. "That's what friends do."

Meanwhile, Tom had returned with the muscle rub. "Here ya go. Want me to rub some of it on your back?" he asked, taking a seat on the bed next to his friend.

"Would you? I promise I'll pay you back for all the massages, bro."

Tommy chuckled. "You don't owe me a thing, but another of your massages would be nice. Deal?" he asked with a warm smile.

Adam grinned as he pulled the pillow under his head and got settled. "Deal."

"Alright then," Tom said while he was squeezing some of the ointment onto his hands. "I'll hold you to that." He warmed the cream a little between his hands before applying it to his friend's back in slow, large circles. "Just close your eyes and try to relax-the meds 'doc' gave you should be kickin' in pretty soon."

The former Frog chuckled softly. "Think you just saddled Rexy with another nickname, Falcon." He sighed softly and closed his eyes. He could feel the meds starting to work and combined with his friend's slow and sure movements, he was starting to drift off.

"Just what any of us needed...another nickname," Tom said with a laugh. He turned and winked at Jason. "But I think it suits him."

Chuckling softly, the Original Red Ranger gave a small nod. "It's better than some I could be saddled with." He put a hand on the back of Adam's neck. "Get some rest, bro." Picking up his bag, he headed back to his room.

Tommy continued to massage Adam's back until he was sure the man was fast asleep. Getting up slowly, he pulled the covers up over his friend and headed back to Jason's bedroom. "Well, he's out like a light. Hope his back is better in the morning," Tom remarked to Jason as he rubbed the cream that remained on his hands into his own back. "I'm probably gonna be stiff myself in the morning."

"Why don't you lay down and I'll work some of it into your back? It'll help a bit and if you take one of your anti-inflammatories you shouldn't be too bad."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," the former commander said, stretching out on the bed.

Chuckling softly, Jason went to his bathroom and grabbed two of the pills for Tommy and brought them back. "Here, take these before I get started." Taking a seat on the bed, he picked up the cream from where Tommy had set it and put some in his hands, warming it up while waiting for the other man to finish.

Replacing his bottle of water on the nightstand, Tommy laid his head back down. "All done-start rubbin', 'doc'," he said with a chuckle and a grin.

Jason snorted softly. "Just be quiet and relax, Rainbow." Slowly, Jason started to work the warmed cream into his best friend's back. After a few minutes, he could feel the muscles starting to relax and slowly he could feel Tommy's breathing start to even out as the other man slipped off into sleep. Jason kept up his motions until the cream was worked thoroughly into the toned back. Getting up, he pulled the sheet and covers up a bit before returning to the bathroom and washing his hands. After a brief pit stop as well, the paramedic rejoined his lover in bed. Moving closer, he slipped an arm around the trim waist and rested his head against an inked shoulder before joining Tommy in sleep.

-o-O-o-

By the time the sunlight streaming through the windows woke the former Green Ranger, Jason had been up and about for nearly half an hour. He wanted to make a nice breakfast for them all since Tommy and Adam would be leaving today. _'Mmmm, what smells so good?'_ Tom wondered and he threw back the covers to head to the bathroom.

Jason tossed the kitchen towel over his shoulder as he pulled the sticky buns from the oven. His mom had given him the recipe a couple years ago, but he'd never really thought to try it. Taking the dish over to a tray he had set up, Jason carefully tipped it over and left it for a couple moments before lifting the cooking dish away. He grinned at the caramel and nut-covered buns. The reason he'd made them this morning is because all three of them had loved them as teens and they would travel well on the trip back to Reefside. He placed the dish in the sink before going over to turn the bacon he had cooking for the rest of breakfast and then took a drink of his coffee.

After stopping by the bathroom to take care of morning business, Tommy followed his nose out to the kitchen. "Oh my lord, what smells so good?" he asked, walking and sniffing. "Still think you need an apron, you domestic thing, you," Tom said with a grin and swatted Jason's ass. "Did you make some coffee for your man?"

Quirking an eyebrow, he wrapped his arms around Tommy. "Don't you think an apron would get in the way when you had your way with me?"

"You hush or I'll fit you for a chastity belt before I leave," Tom shot back and then kissed Jason gently.

The other man returned the kiss and let it go on for several minutes before he pulled back. "Coffee's ready and I do have to admit, it is a good blend."

"Ah, the 'Kyle Surprise'? I'll make sure to let the kid know you like it. Maybe he'll make some just for you as an apology," Tom suggested with a big grin.

"Guess I can't really blame him. We all have bad weeks," he grinned and went back over to the stove. "But don't tell him that. Figure I've got to meet him sometime."

"Oh yeah...and I can't wait," he laughed. "I don't know which one will be funnier-his face when he finally sees you or your face when he says something completely out of line."

"Really think he would? Or are his wisecracks such a part of him that he can't help it?" He shifted the bacon over to a paper towel to drain. Going over to the fridge, he grabbed the eggs and some other stuff for the omelets. "Any special requests?"

"Ham and cheese if you have any, please. And yeah, the boy just can't help himself. I think it's a defense mechanism, but he can come out with some of the wildest stuff at just the wrong moment," Tom answered, shaking his head.

"Adam told me about the ass comments he made at the mall." He grabbed some ham and added it to his stack before shutting the fridge and going back over to the counter. Handing the block of cheese to Tommy, he grinned. "Grate enough for three omelets?"

"Sure. Is this that cheese that I like so much?" he asked, taking a sniff.

"Yeah, aged extra sharp cheddar. I don't use it much, but it's great in omelets."

"Mmmm, I love it," he replied, breaking off a bit and popping it into his mouth. "Have you heard anything out of Frogboy this morning?"

"Not yet, but like I told him last night, I gave him more of the muscle relaxer than I did painkiller." He finished cracking the eggs into a bowl and started beating them. "Plus, yesterday was the first day that he didn't take a nap. So I'm not really surprised that he's still out."

"True. So how much trouble you think he's gonna give me when I insist that he come home with me?" Tom asked while steadily grating cheese into a small bowl.

"I think he might put up a small argument, but nothing too big."

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer, so he may as well just save it. I guess we'll leave after lunch. I need to get back and get things in order for tomorrow."

"Yeah well, if you phrase the asking right, he might not put up a fight at all." Jason sighed softly. "Yeah, thought that'd be about when you left."

"I wish I didn't have to go, but...duty calls, ya know. You gotta go back to work anyway." There were so many things Tommy wanted to say, but they'd all been said before and it made no difference, so he just decided to keep his mouth shut. _'Maybe one day he'll be able to do what he wants-not what his dad wants.'_

"Wish I could take more time off, but I'm due to re-qual in a couple weeks. I might try and take the test earlier, just so I can get it out of the way." He laughed softly. "It's not like I'm outta practice being around this group."

Tom laughed out loud at that. "No, that's for sure. You'll get plenty of practice as long as you hang around us-me, in particular."

"Least you're easy to diagnose and treat." He diced up some ham and then looked over at Tommy. "That looks like it should be enough. Why don't you go wake Adam up? That way everything will be hot by the time he makes it out here."

"Alright, that's a good idea. Be right back," he said, wiping his hands on Jason's dish towel and then hanging it back around the ORR's neck. Before he could get swatted with it, he scooted out of the kitchen and down the hall. When he got to Adam's door, he knocked quietly at first. "Adam? You awake yet?" he asked through the door.

Adam groaned softly at the knock on his door, but didn't move otherwise. He wasn't in pain, but he definitely was unwilling to get up just yet. The longer he stayed in bed, the longer it would be until Tommy left because he knew that the other man wouldn't leave without talking to him. Jase and Rocky were great, but at times they almost smothered him.

Tommy knocked again. "Hey Adam-breakfast will be ready soon. Are you up yet?"

The former Frog sighed. "You can come in, Tom."

Opening the door slowly, the former commander peeked in. "Hey, wake up sleepyhead," he said with a grin. "You hungry? Cause Jase has been outdoing himself in the kitchen."

Rolling over, Adam looked at his friend. "I'm a little hungry. Just haven't felt like getting out of bed yet, you know?"

"Oh yeah, I know very well," he answered as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "There's lots of mornings I don't feel like getting up. How's your back?"

"Better than it was last night." He looked up at the former Falcon from where he lay and grinned. "Like I said, I just haven't felt like getting up yet."

Tommy lightly rubbed Adam's arm. "You don't wanna miss all that wonderful food, now do ya? He made Mama Scott's sticky buns for us," he grinned.

"Is that what I was smelling?" He slipped his tongue out and wet his lips. "Damn, thought I was just dreaming that smell." He sat up slowly. "Did he happen to make any coffee to go with it?"

"Oh yeah, got some 'Kyle Surprise' ready and waiting for ya. Come on, let's go eat okay?"

"I'm coming." He tossed the blankets aside and waited for Tommy to stand before getting to his own feet. Once upright, he stretched slowly and then grinned at his friend. "I'll be there in a minute. Need to make a stop first and take care of business."

"Okay. See you in the kitchen in a few minutes then," the former White Ranger said. "I want to talk to you about something."

Adam raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything as he headed to the bathroom.

Rejoining Jason in the kitchen, Tommy started helping him get the food ready to serve. "He's up-be in here in a minute." He paused and then added, "Said he thought he was dreaming the smell of the sticky buns."

Jason chuckled softly as he slid the last omelet onto a plate. "Considering it's not something I do often, I'm sure he did think that he was dreaming."

Finishing up in the bathroom, Adam ran a hand through his hair before going out to the kitchen. "Tommy said that you actually made your mom's sticky buns." He walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee. "They smell really good."

"They look good too," Tom said with a grin. "Let's see if he can actually make them _taste_ like his mom's though. That's the test," he said with a chuckle.

"You two keep it up and I'll eat them all myself or take some to the station. I'm sure the guys there would appreciate them." He added bacon to the plates and nodded. "All right, let's eat."

"Hey, all I said was that they smell good. Falcon here is the smart ass-not me," Adam remarked, walking over to the table.

"No no, I'm sorry," Tom said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Didn't mean to piss you off, Betty Crocker."

Reaching out, Jason snapped the towel at Tommy's ass. "Keep it up and you won't get any, Rainbow." He winked at Adam. Chuckling softly, he grabbed one of the plates and added a couple of the rolls before picking up his coffee and going over to the table.

"I've already gotten plenty," Tom said with a laugh, causing both Jason and Adam to turn and look at him with their eyebrows raised. Tom raised his plate. "Sticky buns...what did you think I meant?"

Adam snorted as he put a couple of the buns on his own plate. "With you? Nothing that innocent." Grabbing his coffee, the former Frog joined Jason at the table.

The Original Red Ranger just rolled his eyes and took a bite from one of the buns. "Aww man, that's good."

Turning and looking at Adam with surprise, Tom tried to act offended. "Hey, I resemble that remark," he said with a wink.

The younger man grinned before taking a bite from one of the rolls and groaned softly in pleasure. "Oh damn, Jase. You really out did yourself with these, bro."

Jason grinned. "Glad you like it." He looked over at Tommy. "What do you think? Are they as good as Mom's?"

"Hmmmm...let me take a few more bites before I make a determination," he answered, mouth full of the sticky bun in question. "Might have to eat several before I'll know for sure," he grinned.

Shaking their heads, the other two laughed and tucked into their meals. After most of his omelet had been eaten, Adam got up to get another bun and refill his coffee. "So what did you want to talk to me about, Tom?"

The former commander looked up at Jason first and then turned his gaze on Adam. "Well, here's the deal. Jase has to go back to work tomorrow and he'll be gone for sometimes 12-14 hours a day. Rocky is running the dojo and working his regular job, so he won't be around either." He paused for a moment. "What would you say to coming home with me for about a week? I'm only at school for about 8 hours and I can come home during my 2 hour break. That way you won't have to be alone."

He refilled his cup and fixed it the way he liked it before grabbing another bun and going back over to the table. "Why would you want me lying around your house for a week?" He held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong, the idea is very tempting, but I need to get back to my own routine sooner or later."

Jason nodded. "You're right Adam, you do, but not just yet." He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I mean, yesterday took a lot out of you and there wasn't a lot of activity involved. This way, you can start spending some time alone, slowly increasing your activity a bit, but still have someone around to talk to if you need it and at night you won't have to be alone in either your apartment or mine."

Tommy looked at Jase and nodded and then looked back into Adam's eyes. "He's right, Froggy. You need to be around your friends right now and I'd love to have you as a guest for a while."

For several moments, Adam said nothing as he took a long drink of his coffee. Then he looked at both of his friends and nodded. "Alright, I'll go with you." He grinned. "Now, how am I going to get back home next weekend?"

"I can bring you back, that won't be a problem," Tom said. "We can come back next Friday or Saturday-whichever you prefer."

"That'll work because unfortunately, I have to pull a 12 hour shift Thursday night, so I won't be off until Friday morning." Jason stated. "But then I'm off until Monday. Me going anywhere besides bed Friday would have been out of the question."

"Alright, but I'm going to have to do laundry at your place. I'm down to the last of my clean clothes because some of the stuff I brought from my apartment kinda smells."

"That won't be a problem. I usually do laundry on Sundays anyway," Tommy laughed. "So I guess we'll leave after lunch then, okay?"

The other man nodded and grabbed the last bun Tommy had on his plate. "Works for me." He grinned as he bit into it.

The former Gold Ranger started laughing at the look on Tommy's face. "Think he got you, bro."

"Hey! That's grand theft bun right there! That has got to be illegal," Tom said in his best indignant voice. "You'll pay for that, Frog boy."

"Promises, promises." He laughed softly and held out the last bit to Tommy.

The former Green Ranger grabbed hold of his friend's hand and then ate the last bit of the baked treat right off his fingers. "Oh I'll get you, you just wait," he said with a wicked smile on his face.

Jason just shook his head at the two of them. "Okay kids, time to finish eating."

"Yes, Dad," Adam responded with a smirk. "You gonna send me to my room if I don't?"

"Yep, and take away your video games and your phone," Tom added, his eyes bright with laughter.

"You're both a trip." The paramedic grinned at them. "I'll pack you two some of the sticky buns to take with you along with a thermos of coffee. That way you don't really have to stop except for gas or the bathroom." He stood up. "In the meantime, we need to do a little kitchen clean up and decide who's going to get the first shower."

Adam had just finished the last of his food and put down his coffee cup. "I'm a guest-I go first!" he said, getting up and literally running down the hallway to the bathroom. The other two were momentarily too stunned to say anything.

"Well...I guess he's feeling better," Tom said when he finally found his voice again.

"I think so." Shaking his head, Jason chuckled softly. "That's a good thing though." He nodded. "Come on, help me get the kitchen cleaned up."

"Alright," he said, standing and gathering up dishes and napkins. "Hey...you wanna accidentally on purpose freeze our little frog?" he said with an evil grin.

"Not today." He smiled softly. "It's a good idea, but I don't know how he's facing in the shower. I'd rather all that cold water not hit him in the back."

"Ah damn...but I guess you're right," Tommy conceded. "I'm glad he didn't put up much of a fight over going home with me. I don't want him being by himself right now."

"You're not the only one and this way he can start getting some freedom, but there's still someone close."

-o-O-o-

Tommy and Adam had both gotten all of their things packed earlier so now that lunch was over, they prepared to get on the road to Reefside. "We'll call when we get there, I promise," Tom assured Jason. "And I'll take good care of Froggy too."

"Take care of yourself while you're at it, okay?" Jason wrapped his arms around his sometime lover and leaned in so that his mouth was close to Tommy's ear. "I'm gonna miss you, Falcon."

Leaning into the embrace, Tom smiled. "I'll miss you too. Wish it didn't have to be like this," he said, knowing that his best friend would understand his meaning.

The paramedic sighed heavily. "I know, me too." He stepped back and placed a kiss on his friend's cheek.

_'Well, you know what to do about it,'_ Tommy thought, but knew better than to say anything out loud. It would only cause hard feelings. "See you next weekend. And we'll be careful, I promise," he said, picking up his bag and turning to Adam. "Ready to get on the road?"

Jason handed Adam his bag and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You take care of yourself, bro."

Adam nodded and took his bag from the other man. "Thanks Jase, and I will." He grinned. "I'll even help keep Falcon on the right track."

Tom got to the door and turned, waiting on Adam. "Thanks for the snacks, Rex. I'm sure we'll enjoy them on the way."

"You're both welcome." He walked with Adam to the door. "Be careful you two."

Once they were on the road, the two settled into some friendly conversation. Finally, Tommy remembered to ask Adam about the other night at the dojo. "So, what did you end up doing about the three troublemakers? You never did say."

The other man snorted. "I suspended them all from the dojo for two weeks. Before they can come back, they have to write a thousand words on why they should not use what they learn in the dojo against others unless they are in danger. Wyatt got smart and asked what about tournaments and I made his essay 1500 words."

Tom chuckled and looked at his friend briefly. "Who's the teacher here?" After a moment, he added, "But I like that-you're hardnosed. Kids like that need more discipline."

"It'd be different if I had taught them from the beginning, but I inherited those three along with four others."

"Well hopefully you'll have them long enough to teach them a few things-besides martial arts, I mean. Believe me, I run into that problem all the time. The problem kids just keep getting shuffled from one teacher to the next-no one seems to want to really do anything about them." He paused and shook his head. "And then, of course, the school board comes along and ties our hands so we can't really discipline them anymore. It's really disheartening."

"Makes me glad that I'm not a school teacher. Being one for the martial arts is hard enough at times."

"Sometimes I wonder if I really want to keep teaching. I've been seriously thinking about trying to get a position as a research scientist, but it would mean moving and I don't really wanna do that."

"Well, that's teaching full time. Have you ever thought about just teaching part of the time?"

"And just what would I do the rest of the time?" Tom asked with a smile.

"If I decide to open up a dojo in Reefside, when you feel up to it, you can help me there."

"Now that's a tempting offer. I hope I don't get much worse off than I am now, but...Hayley and Billy seem to think it's inevitable," he sighed. "I hope they're wrong...for once."

"Me too." Adam shifted a bit in his seat so that he could face his friend. "Even if you do get worse, I'd still like your advice on stuff about the dojo so you could still be an advisor."

"Think you can afford my consulting fee?" Tom asked with a grin, trying to get his mind off his condition.

"Oh, I'm sure that we can work something out."

"I suppose you could pay me in massages. Whatcha think?"

"That could be doable." He grinned and settled back in the seat. "I'll give you one tonight at least."

"Oooh, that'd be nice," Tom said with a smile. The rest of the trip went by rather quickly with the two men talking and laughing. When they reached the house on Valencia Road, Tom wore a warm smile. "Home sweet home. I'm glad you came along, Adam. Like I told you, it does get kinda lonely out here by myself."

"I was actually kind of glad to get out of town for a bit. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate everything that Jase has done for me, but him and Rocky are such mother hens that at times I was feeling smothered."

"I can so believe that. Now I can't promise not to worry aboutcha or not check on ya, but I'll try not to hover, okay? I know you need your space."

"I appreciate that, Tom." He climbed slowly out of the jeep and stretched a bit before grabbing his bag. "So what are we going to do about dinner?"

"Don't know. We could get some take out if you want or we could go out to eat. I don't much feel like cooking tonight."

"Too bad you live in the sticks and no one delivers out here." He walked beside Tommy up to the porch. "But if we're going to drive and pick something up, we might as well eat it there."

"Yeah, you're right. We'll go in a bit. I want to check my mail and answering machine...maybe change clothes," the former Ranger Commander said, unlocking the door and allowing Adam to walk in ahead of him.

Once inside, Adam walked in a bit before coming to a stop and taking a deep sniff. "Oh man, I don't think we're going to have to go anywhere, Falcon."

"Huh? What're you talkin' about?" he asked, walking up behind his friend. Then the wonderful aroma hit him as well. "Kyle...gotta be," he mumbled and headed for the kitchen to see what was smelling so appetizing.

Setting his bag down, Adam followed him and found a note on the counter. "Dr. O - Figured you'd be home in the late afternoon. Dessert is in the fridge along with a salad. The crock pot has a roast with potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery in it. By the time you get home, it should be done. Enjoy! Kyle." When he finished reading the note, Adam raised an eyebrow. "So what did he leave for dessert?"

When Tommy found the cake in the fridge, his eyes lit up. "Looks like a chocolate cream cake of some sort. Mmmmm...looks good too."

Adam walked over and swiped a finger through it, grinning as he tasted it. "Boston Cream and yeah, it's good." He chuckled softly at the look on Tommy's face. "Come on, we can both clean up a bit and then eat. Afterwards, we can put some laundry on and settle down with the dessert."

"Sounds like a plan." They did exactly as Adam had suggested and enjoyed a wonderful home cooked dinner courtesy of Kyle. When the plates were cleaned and put in the dishwasher and the first load of clothes had been started, they sat down to enjoy their cake. "I really should pay the boy something for all of this," Tommy remarked.

The former Frog chuckled softly. "Do you honestly think he'd accept any money from you for it? I haven't met him but a couple of times and can already tell you that he would put up a fight or be hurt if you even suggested it."

"I know, I know. Maybe I can repay him some other way." He stopped and thought for a moment and then a wide smile crossed his face. "I know...I'll keep Rex from killing him when they finally meet. That should make everything paid in full."

Adam laughed softly. "You might have to hold Rex at bay to start, but I think once he gets a good look at Kyle he'll turn into the ultimate mother hen on the boy."

Tom shook his head. "Oh man...you think Jase smothered you? Just wait until he gets the lowdown on Kyle. That boy won't be able to fart without Rexy knowing about it."

The other man started laughing. "Aww man, I almost feel bad for the kid."

-O-o-O-

A/N—Please leave us a review! We'd really appreciate it!


End file.
